Whitewing
by Noc and NC
Summary: Ghost is one of the many Vampyrum Spectrum that lives in his rain forest, and one of the few bats in the world bearing white fur and red eyes. After witnessing a traumatic and fear igniting event, Ghost flees his home, soon to encounter Stella.
1. Escape

Chapter One

**Escape**

When he was born, he had been bare like the rest of his siblings, blind and hungry for his mother's milk. As his eyes opened and fur covered his body, it was starkly obvious that the similarities between his elder brothers and himself stopped there. His fur was not the chestnut brown and sleek black that was expected, but a dusty white, with eyes that were red and poorer then the rest of the newborns. The young bat's wings, when held before the moonlight, looked nearly transparent, nothing but a sheet of veins and bones. His skin was always an angry pink as if just born, pale fur doing nothing to hide the abhorred tinge around his ears, muzzle and forearms.

His mother had named him Ghost, perhaps to forever remind him of his unnatural and unwanted appearance.

A Vampyrum Spectrum shouldn't look like this- that was what the others had always whispered. His own father whispered of such things. To have skin that looked so tender, wings that looked so breakable, Ghost agreed with the whispers. He was different and dislikeable for it.

What he wouldn't have given to look like his brothers, Zorn and Plague. They were both mighty creatures who could strike opponents down with ease. Ghost felt that he must have been unhealthy at birth, or poorly fed, because he had been a fair deal smaller then the rest of the newborns. This only added to his misery. No doubt his mother saw it unnecessary to ensure he ate well, putting him after his brothers. He couldn't blame her though- he might have done the same. Who would care for such a misfit thing?

The gap between him and the rest of his kind continued to grow as muscles built beneath his pinkish skin and his blood-splashed eyes failed to improve. He could leave if he wanted to- he could survive on his own. But the undeniable urge for acceptance from his family prevented him from departing.

Almost a year after his first hunt, an event occurred that set things in motion for the young Vampyrum.

Ghost was sailing through the darkened jungle forest, searching for appropriate prey to chase when a strange sound invaded his pink ears. It was not unlike a cry of a bat- one in pain. The screech of dying kin shot through his vision and shocked the pale furred bat. Had someone been attacked? Killed? What happened?

If this unfamiliar bat was still alive, he should help them. To abandon a fellow night flyer in need- no honorable Vampyrum could do that.

Ghost veered to the side sharply, following the fading echo within his silvery vision. Twisting and turning skillfully through the wild branches, his smaller size provided him with more maneuverability then most- one of the few differences he could find happiness in. Beating his vaporous wings, he burst through the light flared trees and entered a small clearing, where another Vampyrum was feeding on its prey.

He did not see any injuries on them, so Ghost gave a small sigh of relief.

The white bat noted that the dark furred figure was his eldest brother Zorn, and decided to greet him. They were not close, but blood tied them together and Ghost wanted to pretend he was loved.

Flapping up to Zorn and his meal, Ghost opened his mouth to speak, only to find that he had already been noticed.

The elder brother stopped chewing on the meat in his jaws abruptly, lifting up his head to stare at the pale bat hovering near him. He flashed his bloodied teeth in a bat-grin, a silent hello, his muzzle covered in the sticky redness. Soon he continued eating, while Ghost looked down at the scene with horror.

Was Zorn eating a _bat?_

The thin, leathery membrane and bone encased in skin, soft looking fur, tiny claws unmoving- it was unlike anyone else he had seen, even himself, but no doubt a bat. The fur was a different color and the face-what was left of it, maybe- was built different. It was tiny compared to the hunched figure devouring it. Ghost's wingspan reached one and a half feet, and even he felt he could say it was small.

A memory suddenly sparked in his mind. His kind ate creatures smaller then themselves. Birds, rodents- he had heard of bats becoming prey, but to see it was-

Smaller bats were hunted, because they were smaller creatures. They were different- not Vampyrum Spectrum.

Being different makes you prey?

Paranoia took hold of him, and Ghost looked down at himself- at his white fur and pink flesh beneath, at his evanescent wings. Everything about him was unlike his brother except for body shape.

He was different. He was a smaller creature. He wasn't like what a Vampyrum Spectrum should be.

Logically, he was prey.

Are you going to eat me next, brother? Ghost asked the feeding bat silently, staying where his wings kept him in fear. Or will it be mother? Father? When you tire of me and the prey starts to dwindle, will I enter your jaws? Your son?

Did you name me Ghost to let others know that I was already considered dead?!

"_No!_" Ghost shouted in to the air, making his brother- no, his predator- jerk his head upwards.

They made eye contact, and with blood and hunger dripping from Zorn's teeth, Ghost gave a raspy cry of fear.

The young bat's wings pounded hard, carrying himself away from the fellow Vampyrum. He didn't know where he was going- it didn't matter. Anywhere but home. Anything was better then where his family and other bats alike were waiting to tear into his raw looking skin and stain his hated fur red.

He was finally doing what he had thought about for so long. Hesitation and a yearning for affection had held him back- now the only thing that could hold him back was the sharp teeth and claws of others. It wasn't simply leaving his home, now.

It was escape.

Eating another bat, finding it sensible because they were smaller? Because they had different fur or body structures?

Never, Ghost pledged to himself. Never will I do such a thing, and never will I allow another to commit such an act with my body.

He would run from these cannibals and escape his fate as prey.

* * *

I hadn't known that Oppel had written a new book until I wandered into the bookstore the other day and saw it in all its hard-covered glory! I bought Darkwing right away and thought it was simply amazing, finishing it in only one day. I tried to be rid of my bat-adventure cravings by rereading Firewing (to my displeasure I don't have Silverwing or Sunwing- buying them is next on my to-do list). Reliving the excitement ignited my old desire to write a story of my own for this series, so on my day off of work I got typing.

I wanted a character that was physically strong, but mentally weak and insecure. So, I had chosen a member of the Vampyrum Spectrum. Albino bats are rare, and the Vampyrum seemed to display a sort of pride that held them above other bats. Should a newborn end up looking unlike them, I feel it would cause quite a bit of alienation. This then leads to extreme paranoia of being driven away, which sparks Ghost's ideas of departure. Once he sees his brother eating a bat that was smaller and weaker, with a different appearance, Ghost's paranoid thoughts turn in a completely different direction. He is horrified at the reasons for hunting other bats because it has so much potential for putting him in danger.

I can't have him eating the rest of my cast, after all.

My memory of the terminology used in the series is a bit weak right now, but I'll do my best until I manage to pick up the first two books and refresh myself.

Next chapter, Ghost thinks about things while exploring a boreal forest.


	2. Boreal Forest

Chapter Two

**Boreal Forest**

It had been about a week since he had fled from his brother, flying through the forest for hours until he reached mountain ranges, traveling until his wings could move no more. Then he had rested, ate, rested again, and continued traveling with this pattern. Quickly after passing over the mountains, he noticed things changing. There were different rodents and birds for him to catch, different plants covering the ground beneath him, and the shape of the trees in which he slept and soared through were very unfamiliar to him, tall and green with sharp needles that threatened to cut him as he streaked by.

It was almost like a new world.

This new world was colder then the one he remembered, and was inhabited by bats smaller then him. These bats never stayed long. They fluttered away before he could see them with anything other then echovision. Fear lingered with their scents.

They were afraid of him. He heard words in their dissipating echoes, things like 'demon' and 'monster'.

So they knew of what his kind could do?

Or was it because of his whiteness? Not even the bat that had been swallowed by his brother was white.

Ghost shook the memory from his head and continued to follow the unknown path of flight his wings had been taking him through for the past week. The idea of chasing after the fleeing bats had entered his mind, but only briefly. That would only scare them further, which was the last thing he wanted. Once the young Vampyrum found what he was looking for- which would be easier if he himself knew what it was- he would settle and live a solitary life. He had no desire to bother others, and no desire to be devoured, either, so loneliness would be the price to pay for avoiding those things.

To distract himself he hissed out a wave of sound, which bounced back as a silver image of his surroundings. What a strangle place this was. The lack of leafiness and very bare sky above him was taking time to get used to, and even with his eyes closed, the slowly brightening horizon made them ache. Where was the canopy to block out the light? These tall, needle infested trees were starting to seem distasteful to him.

The stars were beautiful, though. His vision was blurry, but the white smudges in the sky looked welcoming. If he stared hard enough, they wavered with the motion of his red eyes, and the pale specs would flutter like bats.

Like white bats, flying in the distance.

The thought that there were others like him gave Ghost comfort as he slept.

Waking had been much more painful for the young Vampyrum.

There was a twitter of noise closing in on him, and as he flicked his ears around alertly, the tiny bat in front of him slashed the pale furred youth violently across the face with a stick. As Ghost yowled in pain the smaller bat screeched in fear, its grey fur spiking. The Vampyrum held a wing over his burning snout as a hot, wet sensation came to his eyes. There was no attempt to chase the attacker, who abandoned its weapon and bolted.

Slowly the pain faded, but did not disappear entirely, remaining as a dull ache. Ghost gingerly pulled his wing away from the injury, glancing at the membrane and the faint line of blood running over it. The white figure sniffed at the sight, blinking away the moistness in his eyes. What was this? Tears? No Vampyrum shed tears. Being young was not an excuse.

That was what his father would have said.

The bat's sire was not present, and so as Ghost unfurled his wings and flew away from the temporary roost he didn't make a strong attempt to keep his vision clear. Sight wasn't necessary for traveling, only sound. It seemed this place was dangerous- fear could compel bats to harm one another just as easily as hunger could, the colorless bat concluded, making it his goal to put great distance between him and the green needle forest that surrounded him.

He turned eastward. As long as he didn't have to go south, any direction would do.

After several hundred wingbeats, Ghost felt hunger grip his stomach. He sang out into the air, searching for prey. Active and slumbering creatures alike showed themselves in his silvery vision. They were all meaty little rodents, perfect for filling his stomach, Ghost decided. Two or three would hold him for a good four hours of flight.

With a tilt of his wingtips he dove downwards, catching a sleeping creature in his claws before tossing it upwards to meet his teeth.

The animal gave a surprised shrill before its body went limp, blood dribbling down Ghost's throat. He enjoyed the taste of the meat in this forest, and hopped the flavor was the same elsewhere.

Two more times the bat did this, one of his targets being awake during its death.

The beast had been a strange one, with large eyes and odd, leathery paws. The thing wailed distraughtly at being struck, sounding young. Quickly, though, it lowered its front half to the dirt and hissed in response to the attack, hindquarters high in the air before it leapt at him. Its claws were sharp and the kill had been a challenge, its yellow and black ringed tail whipping about wildly until Ghost closed down on its neck with a satisfying crunch. The beast's wiry hair tickled the roof of his mouth as he tore through it.

It had been exciting, to say the least.

Now his belly was full, Ghost taking to the skies after cleaning his muzzle. The ache against his face seemed unimportant as fresh wounds from his triumph over the ring-tailed beast overlapped it. It was rare for him to take down something so close to his own size. Even those larger then him would have had trouble with that opponent, which was something that made rare feelings of pride fill his chest.

Clinging to this new sense of strength, Ghost beat his wings with renewed energy and flew until dawn.

He quickly ate a rousing songbird before settling in a new type of tree for sleep. It was leafy, like the ones back home, but still very different. Branches spread out in every direction, and large, wide leaves covered the tips heavily. He buried himself within the foliage as thought it were a cave. His red eyes were soothed by the protection from daylight that his eyelids couldn't give.

The surroundings were changing again, he realized sleepily, just as they had after passing the mountains. If he continued east, would there be more trees like this one? If so, he would like it very much. The prickly trees were displeasing, and the bats in that area didn't seem content with simply flying away from him. He felt eager to explore, but weariness prevented him from loosening his grip on the branch.

For now, Ghost thought to himself, I must sleep.

* * *

I didn't want to update so soon. I was thinking, "okay, we'll post a chapter, wait a while, check out our responses..." but the new chapter was sitting there, so I just couldn't resist.

Ghost killed a young raccoon, if anyone was curious.

I had a lot of fun writing the eating scenes, surprisingly. It felt good to remind everyone (and maybe myself) that while against preying upon bats, Ghost is a meat eater and like any properly raise Vampyrum he enjoys a good hunt.

Writing short chapters is pleasant and relaxing for me, usually only taking one evening's worth of work, and I don't feel guilty about doing it this with this story, somehow. My chapters can range from three to eighteen pages, though, so if circumstance calls for it I'll make a longer one. We haven't had Ghost speak much at all (only one word!) so that's definitely effecting the chapter length. His lack of lines is necessary though. No one really liked him, who was he to talk to? The littler bats won't talk to him- they only hit him with sticks when he's sleeping. I can't have him talk to himself, he's not _Griffin_ or anything.

Next chapter, Ghost receives an owl-inflicted injury.


	3. Injury

Chapter Three

**Injury  
**

Ghost had awoken late in the evening, leaping from his sleeping place right after he recalled where he was. Spraying out noises, the small Vampyrum observed everything as he glided through the air, which was becoming more and more abundant with the likeable type of tree he had roosted in that day.

Hungry and more then pleased to weave through the voluminous forest, Ghost set his sights on a nimble looking beast. It squeaked in horror when spotting his approaching form and made to escape, but its lengthy jumps, although amusing, proved to be no match for the bat's speed.

Trapped and squirming, the small brown animal opened its mouth as Ghost began closing his.

"No!" it pleaded.

"Yes!" he hissed in response, jaws flooding.

The beasts found in these woods were delightful to chase. All very small and jumpy and tender. He ate four more of the little brown rodents before his appetite was sated.

Now the youth was keen on adventuring. The forest was so unlike the one in his homeland. He used his sonar to its fullest, engraving everything into his ears. Once or twice he had spotted a bat, expectedly smaller then him, and they never waited long before flying out of his path. Loneliness started to ebb at him again, and Ghost slowed in his pace, his energy suddenly drained.

The Vampyrum didn't mind when prey ran from him, but to have a fellow bat do so was disheartening.

He wasn't like the others of his kind. Couldn't they tell that, just from looking at him? Or maybe it was just from looking at him that scared them away. He was disturbing. White and sharp clawed and bigger then they might ever be. A demon. Even outside of his home, he was to be looked at hatefully.

Digging into the bark of a tree to stop his flight, Ghost allowed himself to swing upside down and hang in silence. Thoughts of his brothers and parents hovered at the front of his mind, red eyes looking at nothing as he tried to feel the same.

Then he heard something that tore him from his resting place. A cry of pain, so similar to the one he had heard less then two weeks ago that it was frightening. He pounded his wings frantically, going in circles while unsure of how to act. Honor drove him to help the danger-stricken creature, but the fear of seeing something terrible again made his sense of moral direction become hazy.

Finally he let out a weak hiss of sound, pinpointing his destination before streaming through the trees.

He lurched backwards after catching sight of a huge feathered creature, sharp talons flashing wickedly in the dying sun. The bird wasn't unlike what lived in his jungle, and Ghost could guess its strength. Carefulness and perhaps a bit of fear made him stay back as it caught a terrified bat within its talons.

"_Help! Someone help me!_" the bat cried out, definitely not to him. It was a very scared cry. Very tearful.

You should help, a righteous part of him advised.

It is the bird's prey, argued the rest of him, sensible and frightened. I shouldn't get involved.

Despite the internal dispute Ghost had already dove forward, wings flaring and teeth ready as he crashed into the giant bird, the half-hazard attack knocking the other bat free. The released figure flew hectically into a tree branch, flailing its wings in desperation as it disappeared into the foliage below.

Ghost fought to regain his senses, shaken from the impact.

"How _dare_ you!" screeched the owl, looking very formidable as it turned its moon shaped eyes on him. "Such a deranged looking bat interrupts me?!"

The bird lunged for him with its talons, cutting through air as Ghost used his smaller size to evade. Spinning with the motion, he braced his wing and struck his opponent on the back of the head, hoping for a quick win. His hopes were not met, however, the owl merely grunting from the impact before twisting its head around to a point that Ghost found startling. It snapped out at him and cleanly bit into his outstretched wing, whipping him through the air as the bird's head straightened.

Ghost cried out as his fur was torn through, the owl's talons grasping as his shoulder like a set of jaws.

"You're too big to eat!" the owl told him, saying it as though the sharpness cutting into his chest wasn't a big deal.

The continuous sound of furiously beating wings ruined his silver vision, making Ghost feel dizzy, and the pain coursing through his body was unlike any he had experienced before. Injury during hunts was commonplace, but the bird's wild jerks and tugs at his insides was a whole different level of agony.

Abruptly the owl unsheathed its talons from the white bat. Ghost felt himself plummet to the forest floor, powerless to stop himself as his wings flattened against his body. He fell through the bushes and hit the earth with a painful and conscious-stealing thud.

Things had been very murky after that. Several times he faded in and out of the blackness of his mind, catching glimpses of noise and feeling the ache of his wounds. His body was cold, but tendrils of warmth touched him now and again. Wetness dripped onto his gashes, soothing them on contact.

A soft hum of silver filled his mind's eye, but Ghost was too weary to identify it. He closed his ears, sinking back into the dark recess of sleep. Gentle prodding awoke him, the white Vampyrum feeling as though he had only just drifted off.

"Stop" he croaked, pinning down his ears again and refusing to open his red eyes to the slowly brightening world. "Let me sleep"

"You've been sleeping almost all night" said a voice, sweet and light. "I was scared you wouldn't wake up again…you have to eat something"

"I want to sleep" he sighed, wounds starting to burn again. He felt something fuzzy against his snout.

"Please eat" the voice requested earnestly.

Reluctantly Ghost opened his mouth and let whatever food he was being offered be placed inside. Having to be fed like a newborn felt humiliating, but he was hungry and didn't think he had enough blood in him to beat his heart, let alone his wings. Biting down on the thing, a strong bitterness flowed over his tongue, the fuzzy mush in his mouth twitching as he swallowed it.

That was _disgusting_. What had he just eaten? That didn't taste like meat at all.

Again he felt something press to his muzzle, and with a twisting stomach he parted his teeth. It all tasted hideous and the lack of warm blood and salty muscle made him wonder if it was really food he was consuming. Slowly he felt his stomach fill, however, so the suspicious meal had served its purpose.

"It's coming past dawn now" his caretaker let him know, though his poorly shielded eyes knew that well enough. "So let's both sleep"

That sounded like a good idea.

* * *

I should really stop updating so fast. Writing chapters ahead of time is all good and well, but it hasn't even been a whole twenty-four hours since the last one. I'm completely neglecting my other fanfictions. I guess I should just keep going until I run out, right?

I'd like to point out I have an extreme weakness to writing fight scenes. It's a bit better with animals then people, so I hope I can improve myself enough for this story, at least. As for the actual fight scene this chapter, I know that Goth and many others of his kind were capable of taking on an owl, but Ghost isn't fully grown yet, and inexperienced. So there you have it.

For something fun, I often listen to music while writing. I'm sure many people do. While I have a wide range of music to sort through, there are two songs that I frequent when working on this story's chapters. The first is "Zorn (die Zwölf Verbotenen Töne)" by Nomine, and the second is "Lift Me Up" by Moby. The first song, of course, is where Ghost's eldest brother Zorn got his name. The second song listed is good inspiration for...spoilers that I can't mention here.

Thanks to those who've reviewed or PMed me, I appreciate your kind words! I hope this chapter didn't disappoint.

Next chapter, there is Ghost and Stella.


	4. Stella

Chapter Four

**Stella**

Ghost opened his red eyes just as the sun lost its place in the sky. At first, the shadow soaked scene before him was confusing. The Vampyrum didn't know how he had ended up on the ground amongst the rocks and plants- then he felt his shoulder throb and memories of the previous day flooded through him.

Ah, yes. He had tried to save a bat, but opponent was too much for him, and he been wounded …after that…where was the one who had been with him? That delicate sounding creature…

Ghost looked at his surroundings, hoping to see the owner of the voice in his memory. He saw nothing, and felt his heart sink.

"Are you awake?"

The light sweetness in his ears had Ghost snapping his head upwards almost instantly. A dull crack sounded from his neck, but he paid no mind to it as he met eyes with the speaker. Hanging off the tree branch several wingbeats above him was a bat, looking back down at him with black pearl eyes.

"Yes" he replied quietly, afraid his voice might scare them away.

"I'd have liked to stay down there with you," the bat told him, voice feminine and inviting. "But the ground was uncomfortable, so I settled for watching from here. Want to try flying up?"

Ghost's heart beat rapidly as his wings did the same, the white furred Vampyrum surprised at how much energy he was displaying. Leaves and bits of dust stirred in the wind his wingbeats created, and in a rush of blood and heavy breathing he roosted, claws digging into the branch beside the smaller bat.

"You've got quite a bit of drive" the female observed- for she_ was_ a female, Ghost realized, with beautiful fallow colored fur, frosted in silver. "To move so fast when you're injured like that, you must be very good with pain"

"I wanted to meet you quickly" the youth said in a gulp of air.

The female looked at him appraisingly, her pearly eyes making Ghost uncomfortable. Perhaps his answer had been too honest. He had been eager to meet a bat that did not flee from him, but his choice of words sounded strange.

"I've never seen a bat like you before" she said suddenly, scuttling a bit closer to him on the branch, less then a wing away. "What species are you?"

"I…" Ghost looked at his pale furred belly, the pink tinge beneath it clear to see. "I'm…Vampyrum Spectrum…" could he really call himself that?

"I've never heard of it" the female told him. "What forest are you from?"

"I'm from the south" he told her. "Far, far south"

A small silence chased after his words, before the bright furred bat spoke again.

"Have you seen a bat like me?" she inquired, spreading out her wings for display. "Maybe a male? Reddish?"

Ghost shook his head, trying to stop himself from being entranced by the way her colored fur shone in the moonlight. "You're the first bat I've seen clearly, asides from my own kind. Are all littler bats like you?"

While looking a little disappointed, though he didn't know why, the female folded up her wings. "Well, all Brightwings look like this. All females, anyways. Silverwings are silver, and Greywings are grey and…what is it?"

Blinking, he realized he'd been staring again. Squeezing his eyes shut in embarrassment, Ghost was tempted to pin down his ears as well. "I'm sorry" he apologized.

A soft bout of laughter floated into his ears, flashing silver behind his still-closed eyelids.

"Its okay," she said with mirth, before Ghost felt a wingtip press against his shoulder. "I think you're kind of pretty yourself"

Pretty? Him? He was hideous. _She_ was the pretty one.

Leaves shimmered around them as a breeze swept through the night air, and Ghost reopened his blood-splashed eyes, taking a peek at the female, who was tucking her wing away. She was so pretty that it made him envious.

"I'm Stella Brightwing" she told him, black eyes shining like her fur. "You?"

For a few moments, the Vampyrum was content to simply let her voice ring silver through his mind.

_Stella_.

To interrupt that with his damnable name would be such a waste, but she looked expectant to hear a reply.

"Ghost" he told her shortly, his voice a rough scrape. "My name is Ghost"

"Ghost…" Stella repeated thoughtfully, looking towards the half-moon in the sky.

He closed his eyes again. It was a horrible name.

With a quick flap of her wings, Stella parted from her roost, hovering in front of the larger bat. "Where are you headed to, Ghost?"

"Where?" he echoed, surprised at the question. "I don't have a destination. Anywhere but south"

"Really?" her wingbeats became more excited. "That's great…!"

Was it? He didn't see anything great about continuous wandering. "Yes" he agreed reluctantly, not wanting to put out her mood. "I suppose so"

There was a long pause between them, nothing to be heard but animals and insects in the distance and the rapid movement of Stella's wings. He stared at her while she stared at him, waiting for some sort of reaction but never receiving it. What did she want him to say? He was bad enough with speaking to others, if they were female it was no easier- especially littler ones, it seemed.

"I want you to come with me" Stella said finally, sounding as though her intentions were as clear as night.

Ghost flared out his ears, certain he'd misheard her. "What?"

"Come with me!" the female urged. "You said you don't have a destination, so come with me!"

He understood _that_ part. "Why?" yes, that was a better question.

Stella sighed a little, settling herself on the branch once more. "You're big and strong!" she told him, fanning out her wings to emphasize this. "You protected me from that owl! You could keep me safe! Besides…" her wings folded some, the Brightwing tilting her head away from him. "You like me at least a little, don't you?"

He had never said that.

"Where are _you_ headed to?" Ghost questioned, avoiding her last sentence altogether.

Stella kept her gaze away from his, her expression becoming somber.

"My brother" he heard her say, the sweetness in her voice ruined by worry. "I'm searching for my brother. There was a storm a few weeks back during our migration to Birch Haunt- our summer roosting- and no one has seen him since. He was the only one that went missing…!" she stopped herself, her eyes looking very bright and wet as she blinked. "The storm had been moving northwards, so I'm going to fly north until I find him"

Ghost merely watched the storyteller in silence. He wanted to tell her something, maybe let her know that he understood how it felt to loose a family member- only he didn't understand. He was fleeing from the only family he ever knew, and felt no sadness accept for that which had always been with him.

"What if you don't find him?"

He didn't know what propelled him to ask such a troubling question. Perhaps the part of him that was lonely and bitter and wanted someone to be as miserable as he was so they'd have something in common.

"I'll find him. There's no way I won't! So," Stella leapt from the branch, making circles around the white Vampyrum. "Come with me!"

Ghost sucked in a breath of air, his chest squeezing tight as the vibrant furred bat danced around him.

* * *

And here's chapter four for you. I'm happy to have introduced Stella. Sweet, trusting, and maybe a bit flirtatious…?

There was a line I put in here- "clear as night"- which is actually a twist on the common idiom 'clear as day'. I just made it appropriate for bats, since I don't think daylight is as clear for them as it is for us. Thought I'd point it out. There was a lot more talking in this chapter, because Ghost finally has someone to talk to. Again, I'm happy Stella has been introduced.

Sadly, despite the nice words I've received, there were no reviews for last chapter, which makes me kid of sad…! I'm not too worried about updating this story quickly because the fandom in this section is small, but if it's so unpopular then I don't feel very determined to keep writing, you know?

Next chapter (if it comes), Ghost notices a blearing difference between his and Stella's appetites.


	5. Appetites

Chapter Five

**Appetites**

"So, Ghost, tell me a little about yourself!" Stella piped up.

They had been flying for some time now, with Stella explaining the names of various trees to him as they went. He described a few animals to her, the female trying to pick out what they were called. Raccoon, rabbit, chipmunk, squirrel, and so on. Now she seemed keen on asking the questions.

His shoulder ached as he flew beside her, the smallest of frowns forming on the Vampyrum's face. "Me?"

"Sure!" the Brightwing swept elegantly beneath Ghost's stomach, reappearing on the other side of him. "I'd like to know the bat I'm traveling with!"

They skimmed through the trees in silence, before she curved sharply to the left and snatched something in her mouth, chewing it up quickly upon returning to his wingtip. "What was that?" Ghost asked curiously. "What did you just eat?"

"A tiger moth! I'm pretty good, aren't I?" Stella preened, though he wasn't sure what for.

"A…tiger moth" he repeated slowly, not wanting to offend.

Stella's face said she was confused as well. "Have you never seen a tiger moth before? Do they not have them in the south?"

"I've seen moths plenty" the white bat let her know. "I just…never eat them or anything…"

"What?"

The female questioned him as though he was mad, her pearly black eyes wide. Maybe he _was_ mad, but this was something the Vampyrum felt fairly sensible about. You didn't eat bugs. That was just deplorable. Why go after something so weak and defenseless, instead of a real challenge? Stella seemed pleased with her catch, however, so Ghost's mouth stayed shut.

"How come you've never eaten moths? Are you not good enough to catch them?" the bright furred bat started to spout questions. "I guess your big size would make it hard to catch little things, huh? So what kind of bugs do you eat?"

"I don't eat _bugs_" Ghost answered, the gruffness in his voice surprising them both.

"Well I don't eat anything _but_ bugs!" Stella replied indignantly. "What's your diet? _Air?_"

She was showing a sassy side of herself that made Ghost feel on-edge. Had he made her angry? What else was there to say to her, though? It wasn't_ normal_ for him to eat bugs. These northern bats weren't well-equipped for hunting as he was, that was obvious. Could she not tell he was built for greater things then insects?

"Meat" the Vampyrum Spectrum announced to the Brightwing, his ears twitching in anticipation of her response.

"O-oh" she stammered. "…Really?"

"Yes. Small beasts and birds"

Stella was silent for a moment, her shell shaped ears pinning down for a moment before opening up again. "Show me"

Ghost blinked his red eyes. "Pardon?"

"Catch something" Stella revised. "I'm not sure if I can really believe you. I'd thought you looked really tough with your sharp teeth and claws and stuff, but this is a little out there- so let me see you do it"

Ghost felt his chest puff a little at being called tough, but the doubt in her voice made him displeased. She didn't think he could do it? He was a fine hunter despite his smaller size. Of course he could do it. His shoulder throbbed a little as his wingbeats quickened. Hissing out a wave of sound, Ghost locked onto a suitable target and lunged forward, outstretching his legs to catch the prey, the bat's clairvoyant wings unfurling in all their jaggedness at his claws closed over a small beast, which lifted up its head just as it was captured. Blood warmed his fur as he bent his head down in midair and gripped the motionless creature his teeth. Tearing through the mussed fur, Ghost sheared away the meat to be found beneath it, swallowing greedily.

The taste of blood and salt eased the queasiness his stomach had been feeling. A sudden thought crossed his mind- had what he'd eaten the night before been insects? He slowed in chewing, trying to erase the memory of cool slim on his tongue. The bat returned to his company's side after licking his teeth clean, pleased with how slick they felt.

Stella stared at him, her eyes looking even blacker then usual as the moonlight reflected off of them.

"I'm pretty good, aren't I?" Ghost asked nervously, imitating her as he dared to break the silence.

The Brightwing nodded, a ripple flowing through her fur. "That was…" she breathed. "Cool"

He could safely say he'd never been called cool before. It wasn't a description his kind commonly used regarding other bats, not many of them finding slang appealing. That aside, Ghost was sure no one had ever thought his skills were admirable, being the small misfit he was. His display had earned Stella's praise, though.

"It was nothing" the Vampyrum shook his head. It really was nothing compared to others. His father and brothers were much more formidable- even his mother could best him, Ghost was sure.

"No, that was really cool!" Stella insisted, the shock fading from her face. "I bet you're the best hunter in your colony!"

Colony? Ghost ignored the unfamiliar term for now. "No, I'm actually below average"

The Brightwing gaped. "You're kidding!"

Ghost wagged his head, and the burning desire to hear more was scribbling itself all over the female. Unable to resist sating her, the young Vampyrum decided he might as well tell a little about himself, after all. "I'm not like other Vampyrum Spectrum, Stella"

Her ears perked. It was probably the first time he'd said her name- his raucous voice was gentle with it.

"What do you mean?" she was full of questions. "Like, they aren't as big as you?"

"Bigger" the youth admitted. "Adults have an average wingspan of three feet. They are stronger, faster- and none of them are _white_" Stella cocked her head to one side as she hooked her rear claws into the branch of a weeping willow, keen on listening to the rest while roosting. "Vampyrum Spectrum have dark fur, ranging from deep chestnut to strict black- never white. Never with these poor, red eyes. Never with the pink flesh you see on me" Ghost pinned down his ears in shame as he roosted some distance from her. "Some of them eat bats. Smaller ones. Other species, who are sure to lose in a fight of survival…I feared that one day I would also be labeled as prey, and so I fled my home. I'm traveling now…you are the first bat who has been kind enough to speak with me for some time"

The silence was disturbing for him, so the white Vampyrum lifted his ears, glancing around with blood splashed eyes, fearing that the soundless Stella had deserted him. Happily, he spotted her fluttering up to him, a sort of crumpled-up expression playing upon her face.

Pity.

She pitied him, and Ghost supposed that this was a normal reaction for her kind. Northern bats were no doubt raised to be rather tender-hearted. They did not live from taking the lives of significant creatures as the Vampyrum Spectrum did. It was simply survival of the fittest, and they won fairly over their prey as any other bat did. The knowledge that any other bat could become prey, however, was something that threw fear inside of his muscled chest. It was a fear that Ghost was to fight with alone. Pride demanded it, and seeing the look on the other bat's face, knowing that she was holding some sense of worry for him, was…bothersome.

"You were scared your family was going to eat you?" Stella queered, sounding as bothersome as she looked. "But, their your family!"

"We've never been very close" the male defended his feelings. "None of them really…even father- no, _especially_ father- would talk of how unnatural I was. At times I would feel like a different species, and I'm sure they viewed me as one. Ghost. It's an awful name, isn't it? Mother named me that. It is fragile and weak, unbecoming of a powerful male's son. She was mocking my existence by calling me that"

Stella sniffed quietly. "I like your name"

"Thank you" Ghost said to the northern female, unfurling his wings and taking from his roost. "I like yours too"

Looking genuinely happy with the praise, Stella opened her wings, following after the larger bat as he flew northwards.

"What does meat taste like?"

It had probably been on her mind since he'd first mentioned his eating habits, but the sudden question surprised him. "It is salty, warm, and metallic in a pleasant way" he answered as best he could.

"Metallic? Beasts and birds aren't made of metal, Ghost"

"No," the youth agreed. "But that's the taste, anyways" a sudden idea caught in his mind, and Ghost glanced at the Brightwing before looking in front of himself once more. "Do…do you want me to catch you something?"

The offer made him feel warm and tingly beneath his fur. The only time a Vampyrum Spectrum would catch food for another bat would be to feed his mate or offspring.

Stella laughed a little behind him. "Oh, no, that's okay. I think we'd better keep flying, rather then indulge in my curiosities. Maybe later, hm?"

"Of course"

Ghost couldn't help but feel disappointed in her answer.

* * *

Chapter five for you all.

I think I let on that I might not keep writing too strongly last chapter. I'd still been enjoying writing the story at the time, so I was still going to continue, as far as I knew. I just figured that since I didn't have any pre-typed chapters to give any more, I might as well warn some people in case I didn't get around to writing anything new.

So I managed to buy Sunwing. They were sold out of Silverwing (its just that awesome) so I'm reading the series backwards, starting with Darkwing, then Firewing, now Sunwing, and hopefully soon Silverwing, haha.

Next chapter, Ghost's actions have earned his father's discountenance.


	6. Father’s Discountenance

Chapter Six

**Father's ****Discountenance**

It had been raining since dusk, and as Zorn pounded his laden wings, he couldn't help but feel that the heavy downpour was something symbolic, slowing him down as he flew through the lush and deluded forest.

His destination was not one he ventured to willingly.

Since the passing of his and Plague's mother Aconite, their father had taken on a new mate. This was uncommon among Vampyrum Spectrum, but he had gained only two children and although they were both strong, intelligent sons whom he could take pride in, he had been greedy for more. His mate of choice, Malady, had bared him a third son, though his expectations were not met with the growth of his new child.

White furred and red eyed, the female had named him Ghost.

Shortly after Ghost had learned to hunt, their father had distanced himself from Malady considerably, meeting with her only to speak of things concerning their child- there was no doubt that he was convinced it was his mate's fault for producing such a peculiar looking offspring. This made Zorn relatively pleased. He disliked speaking with the older bat. She was a distasteful female with a boney structure and sinewy muscles that tensed too often, much different from the suaveness that had been Aconite. She was not _his_ mother- there should be no reason to speak to her.

Alas, here he was, sailing through the pouring rain just to utter a few words.

Several minutes passed before he spotted his father with echovision, who had roosted within a gauge in the one of the giant trees that had lasted over the ages.

Bane was a Vampyrum Spectrum, his black, peppered fur and heavy crest atop his head recognizable by many bats. His hunting prowess was both admired and feared, with Zorn and Plague having yet to best him in any sort of contest, despite being healthier. Bane had experience that neither could rely on just yet. Aconite had also been a fine hunter, a good match for the respected male. Malady fell short, in Zorn's opinion, but he held no say in which bats his father chose to mingle with.

Malady was roosted alongside Bane, her boney figure making Zorn wince.

If she were a better hunter, she wouldn't have to look like that, he said to himself. Flaring out his wings to slow down, rain caught within them as Plague skimmed through the falling water to meet him.

"So everyone's in a big fuss, are they?" his brother questioned knowingly, a soft snort sounding from his flared nose. "Best to just let the mongrel fade from memory. Father's been intent on doing so all along"

"Despite his feelings, Ghost is still his son" Zorn argued. "It would be disgraceful to loose watch of your offspring- especially one so easy to spot"

"Malady's been barking at him to help, no doubt"

"I doubt Malady cares about Ghost's _well-being_" turning sharply, their father was visible with their eyes now, extending a wing to greet them while the female at his side scowled reluctantly. "She's just angry because father isn't upset about his absence. She hates how he ignores them"

"I'd ignore the brat too," Plague laughed. "Only he glows like water under the moon"

Zorn spared a chuckled. He wasn't close to either of his siblings, really, but he didn't approve of such talk. Ghost was his little brother, just as Plague was. Only quieter, and smaller, and _very_ pale furred- as well as missing.

It wasn't really concern that he felt- the white Vampyrum was strong and fast, a well-practiced hunter and as intelligent as his elder brothers. It wouldn't leave, though- the thought that Ghost had been fleeing from _him_ that day. Fear burning in his red eyes and wings glimmering as sweat started to trickle. Seconds later the youth had let out a frail bark of horror. As he'd looked up to see what the cause for such an outburst had been, Ghost was gone, leaving nothing but the wispy remains of his voice in Zorn's ears.

To think that no less then a minute beforehand he'd been pleasantly enjoying his meal, not a care in the world. Little bats were hard to find in the jungle- they rarely traveled so far south. It had been his lucky day. The target had been completely unsuspecting, harmless, and oh-so vulnerable to his teeth.

Ghost was pretty small himself, but there was growing for him to be done yet. He guessed two feet was where his wingspan would stretch to once he reached adulthood- very menacing in his own right, but significantly smaller then any other Vampyrum Spectrum. There was no one to blame for Ghost's small stature then his own parents. Bane, who refused to gather prey for his mate and newborn son, and Malady, who couldn't hunt well enough to put meat on her own bones, let alone her shameful son. Zorn hoped that once his youngest brother chose a mate- something that might prove to be difficult- that he would pick someone suitable to his strengths and weaknesses.

Zorn had no mate. He was 'waiting for the right female' as some of the younger bats put it. No one he'd encountered seemed to spark any sort of interest- and that suited him just fine. He was young and enjoying life without a female at his wingtip. Plague had a mate- Libitina. He might have had a child or two, as well, but Plague's life was no business of his, as far as the elder bat was concerned. Libitina was strong but wicked, toying with her prey before death. In that aspect, she suited Plague quite well. He hoped that Ghost would find a mate that was at bit more pleasant, given his kinder nature.

Zorn's sharp claws hooked into the inner tree trunk, Plague's sinking in beside his as they faced their already roosted father and the female who was his mate in name only.

"My sons!" Bane greeted, his voice sounding grainy and aged. "I'm pleased to see you. It has been too long"

"We've been busy with our own mates and children, father…" Plague cast a make-fun glance as his brother. "Or lack of such things"

Zorn ignored the joke, staring quietly at his father as he waited for him to speak. The greeting had been happy, but the older bat was in an ill mood. Plague didn't know when to behave.

"A lack of such things, certainly!" Bane muttered, anger swirling within the crinkles of noise his wings made. "I am lacking my youngest son! He is gone, many a bat seeing him tear through the jungle towards the north! The reason for this…do either of you know it?"

"Not in the slightest" Plague clawed through his rain-soaked fur carelessly as he spoke.

"No" Zorn breathed, feeling dishonest.

"Surely one of you must have seen him!" Malady demanded. "You are his brothers!"

"Be silent!" Bane barked harshly, making the female's boney structure quiver.

"I had seen Ghost before his disappearance, father" the eldest of the brothers admitted pensively. "I had been feeding, and Ghost came to me for a visit. We didn't speak…I gave a gesture of greeting and he was…unresponsive"

"What do you mean by _that?_" Malady scoffed, her fear already diminished. "He is _always_ unresponsive"

"Malady!" her mate growled. "I said to be silent! My sons are not yours to question!"

"_Our_ son is not here!" the female shouted frailly, giving Zorn the impression of a half-cracked mind. "You are not _worried_- only angry! Why is this so?!"

"His is a disappointment, and now an embarrassment!" Bane raged, his peppered fur spiking. "Do you know what the other males have been saying to me? How incompetent I must be to not succeed in managing my own mockery of a son?!" he bared his teeth. "Aconite would have never let this happen. She would not have brought such shame unto me"

"Suddenly, it's _my_ fault?" Malady cried, anger welling up in her flittering eyes. "What could I have done to stop him?"

"You could have never reared him!" Bane snarled. "You could have let him die!"

"But he is our son!"

Bane's chest rumbled. "I wish he was not!"

"How am I supposed to please you?" the female wailed desperately. "You will not mate me! Can you not give me a change to meet your wishes?"

"Who is to know that you will not give me another disappointment?"

Silence befell the quartet, nothing but the endless rain to paint the world around them in silver. Slowly, Malady extended her wings before taking flight, plummeting into the falling water and flapping out of sight.

"You've upset her" the younger brother pointed out.

"She has upset _me_" Bane grumbled. Perhaps his older age had started to bring childishness upon him.

"Worry not, father…" Plague fanned his drying wings. "I will go and retrieve Ghost"

The sire flared his ears, looking grateful. "What of Libitina?"

"The newborn has learned to hunt well enough"

Zorn watched the conversation quietly. There was a strange expression on Plague's face. Excitement and anticipation of a dark sort that made suspicion crawl beneath his fur. Ghost had been afraid when he left, that he was sure of. If the bat planned on approaching the white furred Vampyrum with harmful intentions, then it would be all the more difficult to bring him home. That would displease father very much. Neither of his little brothers seemed keen on upholding top priorities.

"I will go as well"

The deep chestnut fur Zorn had received from his mother became coated in water once more as he followed Plague into the air. Briefly he gave a sharp-toothed grin to his father, who finally seemed to be calming down. "Always wanted to see the north"

As the rain disappeared and mountains surrounded them, Zorn and Plague traveled northwards, resting and eating along the way. Night faded in and out, and as they dipped into sharp, needled foliage Zorn flared his jagged wings and reached out with his claws, slamming a tiny gray bay against a rough tree and pinning him still.

Blood seeped from where his grip had punctured the bat, and hunger made him grin, thought he managed to contain himself. There were more important things to do then fill his stomach.

"Why, hello there" he rasped to the pain-stricken northerner. "I'm looking for someone... maybe you could help"

* * *

Please allow me to give a short rundown of the names of bats I've introduced so far. I don't want anyone to get confused.

Ghost, meaning 'spirit' or 'the soul of a dead person', is the name of the main character, a runty, albino Vampyrum Spectrum. Stella, meaning 'star', is the name of the story's main female character, a trusting, flirty Brightwing. Zorn, meaning 'wrath' or 'anger' in German, is Ghost's eldest sibling, his half-brother. Plague, as in a deadly epidemic disease, is Ghost's other half-brother. Aconite is the name of a flower from which the poison wolfsbane is made, also called monkshood, and is Zorn and Plague's mother, now deceased. Bane is taken from the word 'wolfsbane', but also means 'to ward off', and is the father of Zorn, Plague and Ghost. Malady, referring to any great suffering, is the mother of Ghost and Bane's new mate. Libitina is the name of a Roman goddess of death, funerals and corpses, and is Plague's ill-natured mate.

I think I got everyone. With that out of the way, here's chapter six for all of you!

Things are starting to heat up. Plague doesn't seem to have good intentions with finding his little half-brother, and Malady just wants Bane's attention. Bane is enraged that his son has shamed him even more then how much he'd already shamed him by being born, and what about Zorn? Is he a good guy after all? Or no?

My chapters have been getting a little bit longer with each update, have you noticed? This one hit the 2000 word mark.

Next chapter, Stella reunites with her brother and Ghost meets Callisto.


	7. Callisto

Chapter Seven

**Callisto**

Ghost stretched out his wings, a faint ache coursing through them from the wound on his shoulder, as well as the shifting muscles beneath his fur. He observed their length curiously, the translucent, leathery membrane melding over strong bones to reach far into the air. The bat stared at them as he continued to hang from the tree branch, claws loosening and then squeezing into the bark with satisfaction.

He was growing.

Whether it was from the consistent use of his wings this past week and a half, or the different meat he'd been eating, the white Vampyrum was definitely growing. It was a very pleasant prospect, and the soreness of his muscles became something enjoyable, for with each aching pulse that ran through his nerves Ghost knew his strength would increase. How much larger would he become? Adulthood was upon him. Soon time would not allow room for growth. Two feet- by the time he was to claim a mate, he was sure his wingspan would reach two feet. Smaller then the other Vampyrum Spectrum, but as good as he could hope for.

As they continued their northward travels, Stella seemed to notice his increased size as well.

"Have you gotten fatter?" she asked in a rather serious tone, her shell shaped ears tilting towards him observantly.

The question made him glare at her from the side, though it proved difficult, as his peripheral vision was forever worsening. "No" was the blunt reply.

"Are you _sure?_"

"Yes, of course I am!" Ghost huffed, tilting himself to avoid tangled branches. "I'm growing. What you're seeing on me is muscle, not fat"

Stella gave an unconvinced 'hmmm' to his words. In reaction to her doubtful sounds, Ghost flapped his wispy wings hard to pick up speed. The comment had been agitating, certainly. He didn't want to be angry with her, though- no doubt it was hard for her to believe he could get any bigger. Still, the displeasure remained, and so he continued to distance himself from the northerner.

"Hey!" she complained. "Slow down a little!"

The white furred Vampyrum ignored her demand, flying faster, dipping under branches and tearing through leaves he knew she would have to avoid. From behind Stella sent out a hiss of noise, attempting to follow his wild twists and turns. His home had been a much more intricate and dangerous place to maneuver through, though. This was easy for him, and there was no way she could keep up for long.

As he began to feel the distance being put between them, something crashed into his side, sending him flying erratically through the foliage. Tiny branches and claws scratched at his pink skin, making him hiss painfully. His attacker clung to him fiercely as they tumbled onto a thick tree branch, the pair writhing around in a tangle of pain and dizziness until Ghost found himself on his back, the little body on top of him fanning out their bright wings, the light of the rising sun catching in its fur as the bat bared its teeth at the Vampyrum Spectrum.

Ghost's initial surprise at being attacked faded immediately, a snarl forming in his throat. "Get off of me, little northerner!"

The bat didn't respond verbally. Instead it continued its attack, small claws digging into the larger bat's fur, delivering little pinpricks to the pale youth. When the opponent began gnawing at his neck Ghost finally gave into temptation and batted the smaller creature with his wing. The bright furred bat let out a startled cry, unfurling its wings as they were knocked off the tree entirely.

It was a male, Ghost noted as the bat lunged at him again, his fur fiery and admirable like another bat he could name. He rolled off the branch as well, beating his jagged wings through the air and spinning around just in time, striking the little opponent with his leathery wing, a sharp slapping noise cutting through the trees.

The bright furred bat flew backwards with the force of the hit, recovering quickly and charging forward once more. Ghost wasn't sure how he though a frontal assault would work, seeing how successful the first attempt was. Almost carelessly the Vampyrum flicked him with a wingtip, making the northerner veer to the side.

"Stop that!" he snapped, beating his soft red wings in frustration.

"You're attacking _me_" Ghost saw fair to point out, his white fur begging to stand on end.

"With good reason!" the stranger snarled, folding up his wings and diving at the youth quicker then expected.

Their heads collided, the two bats hitting the same branch they had started on. The colored bat was the first to recover, dragging his way onto the pale figure with his claws scraping over Ghost's face and neck, until the sharpness dug into his healing shoulder.

Ghost hissed ragingly at the unexpected bolt of pain that had struck him, slamming a stiffened wing against the persistent bat, pinning him to his chest.

"Stop" he rumbled, his voice menacing.

"Nnng…no…you…away from…my s-sist…" the trapped bat let out a gasp, his lungs being squeezed with the force of Ghost's wing atop him. "Won't-"

"Ghost!"

The Vampyrum Spectrum jumped at the voice of his traveling companion, his hold becoming loose enough to allow the other bat to scurry away from him, who then squeezed his body to the trunk of the tree as Stella broke through the leaves that surrounded them.

"Ghost!" the female repeated breathlessly while fluttering up to him. "Why did you do that?! I almost lost you!"

I had indented you to, he almost told her, but instead the young Vampyrum swallowed his words, frozen where he lay on the branch. Had she seen the fight? What would she think of such a scene? He had been good and ready to harm that other male, just now. Stella would probably label killing the same as eating, and then- Oh, gods no, Ghost pleaded, his stomach lurching as the Brightwing female looked at the bat who had himself pinned to the tree a few wingbeats away from her. Her mouth opened slowly, a look of shock spearing over her features, black eyes gleaming.

Stella's expression was broken with a bright smile and a bought of joyous laughter. Ghost watched on as she cut through the small distance between her and the other male, nearly landing on top of the bat as she began nuzzling him affectionately. The scene made his stomach twist in an entirely different fashion, and the white furred bat pushed himself up onto his forearms to glare at the pair in confusion.

"Callisto!" Stella cried, wrapping the stunned bat up in her wings tightly. "I'm so happy to have found you!"

"Yeah," Ghost heard the trapped figure mumble from beneath her. "Me too"

"Are you okay? Where do you end up after the storm? Were you attacked at all? Have you been eating properly?!"

"M'fine" the bat grumbled as the list of questions continued.

After the storm? Ghost repeated thoughtfully. Ah, I see. This must be…Stella's brother. Relief floated through his tense form, but as he started to relax the hunter's shoulder throbbed, and Ghost found a different reason to be upset.

"Why did you attack me?" the Vampyrum demanded, not caring that he'd interrupted a happy reunion as the pair of Brightwings looked over to him. "Explain yourself!"

"Attack?" Stella looked between the two males, puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"He struck me as I was flying!" Ghost growled, swerving his head to glare at the female's brother accusingly

"Which reminds me, _why_ were you flying away from me like that?!" the Brightwing questioned again.

Ghost sighed, trying to keep calm. "Why are you changing the subject?"

"I wasn't!" Stella bit. "I was bringing us back to the original subject! If anyone changed the subject, it was you!"

"No, you disregarded that subject to frolic to your brother, who had the gall to attack me _without reason_" the southern bat pressed, beginning to feel irritated again.

"I had a reason!" Callisto snapped, giving the red eyed bat a glare of his own. "You were going to kill my sister!"

"What?" Stella said before laughing a little. "_Ghost_ was?"

"Yes!" the other Brightwing scrunched his face up in distain. "He's a _beast_, Stella!"

"I am not a beast, but a bat" the Vampyrum Spectrum corrected mildly, stretching out his wings for display. "As you can clearly tell"

"Yeah!" Stella laughed again.

Grinding his teeth together, Callisto's fur began to spike. "Well he almost killed _me!_"

Stella's laughter was cut short, the female turning her pearly eyes towards Ghost questioningly.

"No" Ghost rushed to find the words to explain. "I was defending myself"

"You could have kept me away easily!" the red furred bat declared. "But instead you tried to squeeze me to death!"

"That last scratch _hurt!_" the Vampyrum growled, a ripple running through his fur. A wingtip pressed into his sore shoulder gently, making the throbbing stop. Ghost looked to Stella through his blurry vision as the female gave him a warm smile.

"Its okay" she told him sweetly. "You just don't know your own strength- you're growing, after all"

Ghost's heart thudded painfully inside of himself as he nodded. He _did_ know his own strength. He knew that Callisto's words were closer to the truth then hers, as much as it hurt to admit it. Growing pains were nothing compared to the guilty ache inside his chest.

"Callisto, this is Ghost" the Brightwing introduced fondly. "He's been helping me look for you"

"_Oh_, is that _so_…" her brother muttered, sounding uninterested as he glanced at the larger bat. "Now that she's found me, I guess you'll be taking your leave?" he continued, a pleased look on his face.

"Actually," Stella interrupted, her ears tilting backwards. "I was planning on asking Ghost to come back to Birch Haunt with us"

Callisto flinched at the words, acting as if he had been physically struck by his sister's proposal. Ghost folded his wings against himself slowly, Stella looking at him with anticipation.

"I don't believe the other inhabitants would like that in the least, Stella" he told her quietly, closing his red eyes to the morning sun. "But I could accompany you and your brother home, perhaps, and then carry on with my journey. There will always be owls looking for prey, after all"

Ghost could almost hear atmosphere around them shift. He flapped his translucent wings, trying to clear the air of Stella's disappointment. It didn't work, but he felt no worse for it.

* * *

Sorry about the long time without updates. Life caught up to me and slammed me across the head with a hammer, knocking out all the inspiration and making it hard to write well for some time.

Callisto came off as more of a whiney brat then I'd meant him to. Oh well. It doesn't matter all that much, in the end. He's actually not very important. Callisto, by the way, is an alternate spelling of the name of one of Jupiter's moons. Now you know.

Stella has been sort of glamorizing Ghost, not really seeing him for exactly who he is. This is important for later chapters. It's also important for the sequel, too. Remember this fact. Stella glamorizes Ghost.

Next chapter- it's going to start getting hard to do these little chapter title previews due to them spoiling too much, but I'll do them when I can. For today, I can't give you a chapter preview. I'll tell you one thing, though.

_Red rum_.


	8. Murder

Chapter Eight

**Murder  
**

Blood ran down the bark of the tree, dribbling from the still warm body of the Brightwing. Snapped bones and torn fur clung together in the slight shape of a bat, leathery wings twisted and torn viciously. The face was perfectly intact, safe the small trail of blood that flowed from the figure's mouth. The clouds drifted out from under the moon, the silvery light making the scene unbearably clear.

Stella felt her entire body freeze as she awoke, claws gripping her roost with impossible tightness at the image of her dead brother.

What was this? Why had it happened? When? Who did such a thing? Where was Ghost?

The questions filled her to the brim, threatening to crush the female from the inside out unless she spoke. Her jaws ached, the bat's heart hammering in resistance to the building pressure. Barely managing to let air pass through her throat, Stella parted her teeth as her ears began to ring. This was…this was…!

A nightmare.

She was having a nightmare.

"Can I wake up?" Stella sobbed in disbelief.

The beat of jagged wings and hot, iron scented breath on her fur prepared the Brightwing for an answer.

"Not yet"

For one unnoticeable second Stella felt the back of her head being struck, pain dancing through her skull to the tips of her wings like an electric shock. Then there was nothing. Flints of silver and white floated into her vision and became moonlit rocks as the Brightwing opened her eyes again, feeling numb. The moment she had closed them seemed lost. Then the back of her head throbbed, making the female groan and wriggle. She was on her back, wings pressed to the cold stone beneath them by an unknown force.

"Stone? I was in the forest just a second ago, though!" Stella shot out waves of sound to identify her surroundings. "Where is this, a cave? Why am I lying down like this? _Why _can't I lift my wings?!"

Then she saw the reason, the bat's echovision painting a picture of herself in her mind. There were bunches of small rocks on her wings, holding them in place. Moving them on her own would be impossible, especially with the way she was positioned. Panic started to crawl under her fur, making the Brightwing's muscles ache with useless efforts her mind demanded she make.

Someone had _done_ this to her. Knocked her out, carried her away from her roost, and then pinned her down to keep her from escaping. The sight of blood and the metallic breath on her backside entered the female's thoughts suddenly, a past question in her ears.

"_What does meat taste like?"_

"Killed Callisto…!" Stella whispered in horror, tears overflowing.

The sound of wingbeats flooded over the cave's interior. Ghost. Her heart leapt, thinking he had come to her rescue.

The outline of the Vampyrum Spectrum was vivid in her mind's eye, but somehow darker, jagged wings beating with a powerfulness that made him look even larger then normal. He roosted near her, something dripping from his teeth down onto the stone surface beside her ear. The wet dapples became confusing ripples in her echovision, making her image of him waver.

Eagerly she blinked away her tears, tilting her head back so she could look at him. The bat's nerves tingled sorely as her skull rubbed against stone, but the sensation was ignored to stare up at her companion. Stella's pearl black eyes widened, fear forming in their depths as she stared at the black figure looming above her.

The bat grinned down at her with blood-soaked teeth, the predatory inclination of its gaze enlightening.

"_MURDERER!_" she shrieked, and knew her accusation was right when pleasure glowed in the onlooker's eyes.

"Yes" the Vampyrum agreed. "I would say that I am"

Stella thrashed desperately until she felt something in her left wing shift out of place. Pain stilled her, the Brightwing's teeth grinding together to hold in a wail.

"Don't hurt yourself" the large bat told her, licking his teeth clean before taking flight, fanning out his dark wings and gliding down to meet her on the span of stone. "I want to keep you in one piece…for now, anyways"

Terror clawed at Stella's insides, ripping apart any words she might have had.

"So, how long have you been traveling with Ghost?" the captor inquired, leaning over her tiny form curiously, reeking of blood. Bile filled her throat as she thought of whose blood it was. Swallowing forcefully, the Brightwing tried to clear her mind of horror scenes.

"With Ghost…?" she repeated weakly, the sweat under her fur making the female feel delirious. He was to close_, too close_.

"Yes. I was_ very_ surprised to see you and that other bat with him"

That other bat was her brother- the monster in front of her probably knew it. Stella's eyes filled with tears once again.

"Shhh!" the southerner ran a wingtip over her brow in an eerie mock of comfort. "Don't cry!" the words pulled a sob from her mouth and the Brightwing female jerked her face away from the cannibal's, hacking on the metallic air in her lungs. "How long, did you say?"

"A…a week" she answered hoarsely. "Maybe more"

The Vampyrum Spectrum made a noise of disapproval and then finally, _finally_ stopped leaning over her. "_Unbelievable_…"

He unfurled his wings and took to the air, looking so unlike Ghost. Stella glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, unable to see how she had mistaken him for the other as he melted into the darkness.

With a displaced bone in one wing and rocks atop both, Stella stared up at the cave's ceiling, the stalagmite pointing down at her menacingly. The rock formations were like the teeth of a huge beast, and she was its meal. It was going to eat her.

Is this how Ghost felt when he left home? She wondered, the stone teeth reflecting in her pearly eyes.

"_I'm not like other Vampyrum Spectrum, Stella" _it was the first time he'd said her name. _"…Some of them eat bats. Smaller ones. Other species…"_

Stella pinned down her ears, trying to isolate those two gently spoken syllables._  
_

* * *

Hey, look, I was able to do the title chapter preview last time after all! Hurray for Steven King references! But putting that aside, this chapter came out in decent time compared to the last one, huh?

I had been trying to decide on whose perspective to show this in, and it took me some time. Ghost? No, that just wouldn't work. Plague? Maybe, but I didn't feel ready to write in his mindset quite so soon. Zorn? That also wouldn't work. And then I realized that Stella's point of view would work very well. So well, in fact, that I felt stupid for not thinking of it sooner.

Things were probably confusing this chapter. But hey, you're only supposed to know as much as Stella knows, so of course you'd be confused. As I show Ghost's side of it, things will become clearer, like where the hell he is, and all of that.

Next chapter, Ghost and Zorn have a family reunion.


	9. Reunion

Chapter Nine

**Reunion**

Ghost awoke from his slumber with a growl of his stomach. The meeting with Callisto and his guilty feelings towards the Brightwing siblings had put off his appetite, and the only time he'd eaten was during his hunting display for Stella. Looking to the side, he squinted through the moonlight to observe the still sleeping female, her fur as bright and beautiful as always. Then his eyes traveled to her brother, nestled between Stella and the tree's trunk. The male's fur was like fire, and Ghost admitted it to be even more stunning than his sister's. Such a brilliant look was wasted on Callisto.

Sensing his thoughts to be taking a much more dangerous turn, the Vampyrum Spectrum took to the air, his stomach giving another rumble. He would sate his anger along with his body's need for nourishment.

Ghost flew far from the sleeping Brightwings, weaving his way through moon-painted trees. His mouth watered in anticipation. An animal was in his grip soon enough and Ghost was tearing the body apart, desperate to get at its insides. As blood splattered across his fur he realized just how hungry he was. Tonight especially, the food was pleasing. His belly became quiet and full, the Vampyrum panting slightly from the vigor of his actions. When he dropped the carcass to the forest floor, the youth pondered on the origin of his bloodlust.

Had he really been so starved, or had he just wanted to kill something?

Ghost thought no more on the subject, skimming through the air towards a nearby stream. He let his body graze the surface of the water, careful to not let the flow pull him down. Keeping his white fur clean was a tricky business, and he'd never gotten himself quite so dirtied before. A little wetness would help with getting the blood off.

Carrying his dampened self to a nearby tree, Ghost roosted and began grooming himself. Slowly the red faded away, his fur white and dry once more. He kept his claws in the tree branch for a while longer, shutting his eyes and taking in the scenery with sound. Countless little leaves adorned the trees, moonlight falling through their branches with ease. Moths fluttered mindlessly through the air as nocturnal beasts roamed the forest floor and night birds sang their songs. In the distance bat wings were cutting through the air with power and diligence fitting for a Vampyrum Spectrum…

…For a Vampyrum Spectrum…

Ghost fled from his roost with alarming haste as the meaning of his words hit him, translucent wings pounding against the wind.

Another Vampyrum Spectrum was here in these woods!

Who was it? Who had come here? Why? These questions lurched to the front of his mind, but the young bat refused find out. He forced himself to go faster, his skin chilling as the air brushed against the sweat forming over his body. Ghost felt his muscles start to burn beneath his dampening fur.

The roost Stella has chosen for them for the night was suddenly in his vision and he veered to the side, diving down through the branches of another tree. Swallowing his fear along with a much needed gasp of air, the Vampyrum Spectrum let out a harsh burst of noise. Maybe this other bat hadn't been following him at first, but he'd make sure they were now. Underneath the need to flee from danger there was the budding desire to keep Stella from harm. He'd lead the other meat eater away from her. He couldn't keep up this pace forever, but surely he could distract them until the female awoke.

To be sure he had been heard Ghost glanced over his shoulder, ears unfurled and eyes narrowed in an attempt to spot the other Vampyrum. There was a clamor of branches being forced aside as leaves began fluttering through the air. Seconds after the leaves had started to fall his pursuer broke through the foliage into plain view.

Horrified at finding the larger bat so close behind him, Ghost whipped his head around and kept flying. All thoughts of protecting others left him as his heart rate tripled. Slipping towards the ground, Ghost pinned his ears down fearfully when noting how slowly the trees and bushes seemed to pass him by. This wasn't fast enough. He wasn't going fast enough!

Wings a blur, Ghost felt tears soak his red eyes. The consistent of pressure of air against them was painful, along with being so desperately scared. He was a hunter- a proud being who triumphed over the weak and ate their flesh as a reward! But…. in this scenario, _he_ was the weak. He was _weak_ and _small_ and didn't want his flesh to be another's reward. So wasn't escape the only option?

But I'm at my limit, the white Vampyrum admitted ruefully. And I'm getting slower with each wingbeat.

A pair of large claws hooked over Ghost's shoulders. The tips of one gauged into his nearly healed wound, tearing into the skin while the other curled against his fur tightly, just barely refraining from puncturing him.

The bat that had taken hold of him jerked backwards, putting a stop to all movement Ghost felt his aching wings start to go limp with helplessness before he was abruptly flung through the air, sending him into a upwards summersault that ended with him colliding with the trunk of a tree. A very unattractive noise fell out of his mouth as Ghost was thrust up against the bark once more and held there with a familiar set of claws.

"_You!_" Ghost rasped.

"Hello to you too!" Zorn barked back angrily. "Just what were you trying to do, bolting away from me like that?!"

"I-" Ghost decided on a question of his own. "W-why are you here?" his chest became tight as his half-brother's claws tightened.

"I'm here to bring you home" the dark furred bat's voice rumbled. "That should be _obvious_"

Ghost inhaled weakly. "Home…bring me home? You mean you're not here to…"

Zorn flicked his ears up like he was expecting something. "To what?"

"Nothing" Ghost chocked.

The older Vampyrum stared down at the trapped bat critically, his dark eyes trailing down to spot the small gash on his little brother's shoulder. "Did I do that?" Zorn asked. Ghost shook his head no.

The larger bat continued to peer at the wound, blood trickling through white fur slowly. Ghost felt his heart ramming inside his chest and knew Zorn could feel it too. He flicked his red eyes up to his older brother's face, feeling morbidly curious as to why the bat hadn't sunken his teeth into him yet.

Ghost felt a jolt run through him as he took in Zorn's expression. It was not the look of a predator. He blinked, trying to comprehend this realization. Rather than hunger, the emotion playing across the other bat's face looked like concern.

Zorn's hold left him suddenly. Ghost remembered to beat his wings only after gravity started pulling him downwards.

"Now tell me" Zorn started calmly. "What are you doing here, Ghost?"

Maybe it was the lulling huskiness in his brother's voice or the unending patience that seemed to show through his eyes, but something kept Ghost from taking off right then and there. Instead he found himself prying open his jaws and uttering about the day he had left the jungle. About all the thoughts running through his head while he watched a small bat's insides disappear. Zorn did not interrupt, not even when Ghost mumbled out things involving him.

The albino told him about his journey through the mountains and his impression of the needle forest he had passed through. He explained the origins of his wounded shoulder and his encounter with the lovely Stella, followed by a short telling of their search for her brother Callisto. It was when Ghost was rambling about his distaste for the male Brightwing that his voice grew hoarse and he paused himself.

"I can understand your feelings" they had roosted at some point, Zorn's claws flexing into the wood of a tree as he spoke. "You are indeed smaller then the rest of us. But you have maneuverability, and you're smarter than you think. You're a fine hunter, and a bat would think twice before taking you on"

"Only because I am one of Bane's sons" Ghost replied wearily.

Zorn sighed before looking him over appraisingly. "You've grown, you know"

"Yes…I was sore recently"

"Its time you found a mate for yourself then, isn't it?"

Ghost gave the larger male a sidelong glance. "…It's long past the time for you to find a mate"

The white furred bat was surprised when Zorn flashed him a bat-grin. "Well said!" the dark furred Vampyrum laughed.

Ghost suddenly felt out of breath and flustered. There had been so much emotion today, and too much talking. What was with this foreign mood? He wasn't relaxed enough to know if he liked it or hated it.

"But now isn't the time for talking about mates" Zorn muttered, unfurling his wings. "Ghost, you have to at least explain to father your reasons for leaving"

"Tell him I thought he would eat me?" Ghost croaked.

"If you must. It is a sensible fear, after all"

"But…"

"But nothing!" Zorn snapped, wings cutting through the air impressively as he left the tree branch. "Come _home_. Plague and I promised we would bring you back. If we return without you, father's anger will only become greater"

Ghost felt his stomach twist in mild uneasiness. "…Plague?"

"Yes…he volunteered to find you himself, and then I tagged along"

The hesitance Ghost had been feeling swelled inside of him. "Go home with you and….Plague…"

"We split up to cover more ground" Zorn explained, nudging Ghost off his roost lightly. "He shouldn't have left this forest though. We'll find him, and then depart"

"Wait!" Ghost heard himself blurt. "Stella! I…if I must go, then I will to say farewell to Stella before then"

Zorn's mouth curled in unexplained amusement, a glimmer of sharp white teeth showing. "The Brightwing?"

"Yes" the albino's voice shivered. "The Brightwing. I…I promised to accompany Stella and her brother to their home. If I must break that promise, then I want to give her a proper goodbye…"

At first Ghost thought his eldest brother would decline. He thought he would laugh or scoff or call him a fool for enjoying the company of a creature that should be food. Maybe he was doing all of those things in his head, but on the outside Zorn's expression remained one of harmless amusement. He had yet to speak, and it bothered Ghost more then he thought it would.

"…Alright" the Vampyrum Spectrum agreed slowly. "But let's do that before finding Plague"

Ghost's heart leapt up into his throat. "Thank you" he whispered around the obstructing organ.

The dull feelings inside of him were hard to describe. He was relieved, because Zorn did not hate him- and he did not try to eat him. He was worried, because who was to say Plague would share his other brother's thoughts? Above all, Ghost felt a distinct sadness that became harder and harder to ignore as he weaved his way towards the roost where Stella and Callisto slept.

He was going to leave her.

The thought struck a painful cord inside of him, the bat nearly wincing as he spotted their tree with echovision. His eyes found it soon after- a blurry entity cutting up through the horizon.

"I'll stay here" Ghost heard Zorn tell him. "Come back when you've finished sharing goodbyes with your Stella"

Ghost did not notice the playful 'your' the other Vampyrum had added to the female's name, as though she were a belonging. What he _did_ notice was the mouthwatering smell of blood as he neared the tree and the eerie quietness that surrounded it. Zorn must have noticed too, because he suddenly darted past him towards the roosting place. Ghost followed after him hurriedly, hoping the bat's sudden change in plans was for investigation and not something else.

The first thought that entered Ghost's mind upon seeing Callisto's mangled, lifeless body was 'oh good, he's dead'. But then his thoughts untwisted and he realized this was the worst thing to be happy about. Stella was missing.

* * *

Alright…

I know bats are colorblind. I'm sure everyone who reads the Silverwing series does. But I'm not Oppel, and I like writing in color. I'm surprised no one really brought this up before, but it's been nine chapters. If I haven't corrected something like _that_ yet, I won't do it now.

So, it took me a little while to update! I bet you all thought I'd abandoned this story, huh? But no. The only time you'll know I've dropped a story is if I remove it from the site. I don't like keeping discontinued work up for viewing, you see…

Now, in reply to particular review I had gotten last chapter- since I have an account on this site, I can post stories whenever I feel the desire, and I update when _I_ want to. If people forget about a story in between updates then all that means is that it wasn't good enough to hold their attention. And I'm okay with that.

Now back to the story. Maybe things are a bit clearer now that we've seen Ghost's side of events, though there are still a few missing pieces, which will be given in due time. I really like Zorn, by the way. He's probably my favorite cast member. Just wanted to throw that in there.

Next chapter, Zorn helps Ghost search for his lost companion.


	10. Lost Companion

Chapter Ten

**Lost Companion**

"Stella…where is she?" Ghost whispered.

Zorn stared at the dead creature before them. The body was beyond recognition- he couldn't even tell the gender. The female was apparently missing, so this must have been the other bat Ghost had mentioned…her brother.

"She was here only a short while ago!" the white Vampyrum Spectrum continued, reeling on him. "What could have happened?!"

"I don't know" the elder brother told him, though his darkened eyes trailed along the blood-splattered bark secretively.

Plague…

Zorn knew he had come here with some other motive than just taking their little brother home. An attempt at killing him was quite a possibility, but this…assuming Plague had attacked Ghost's companions, what purpose would it serve? At what time had the bat discovered their location? Most of all, why leave one body in the open and make the other disappear?

There were too many questions that needed answering, and his little brother was in no state of mind to even think of them, let alone try and answer them. If Zorn could use just one word to describe his littlest brother's appearance at the moment, it would be _sick_. He looked near delirious with fear, utterly stricken with the knowledge that the small northern bat he had been traveling with for a matter of weeks was nowhere to be seen. Ghost's expression was caught between horror and happiness as he stared down at the mangled body Zorn could only assume to be the missing female's kin, sweat turning the bat's pure white fur the color of bones. The larger male could hear his sibling's heart ramming in his chest, pushing blood through his veins too fast.

Zorn quirked his ears slightly, studying his brother as he took in fast, short breaths of air. It was rare for Ghost to have such a strong reaction to anything, and for a moment Zorn wondered if the sudden shock would render the other bat unconscious. And to think the bat's disarray was all because of one little female.

"I have to find her"

Ghost's priorities had made a complete shift. Only a moment ago he was preparing to say goodbye to his little companion, and now he was desperate to prolong their stay together. Getting home quickly was no desire of his, and Zorn could see his well. You really are quite different, aren't you Ghost? He mused silently. But you shouldn't let that give reason for fear. Difference does not mean inferiority. The bat sighed. Father would have to wait.

"Let's split up and search, then" the dark furred Vampyrum suggested finally, earning a nervous look from his little brother. "I won't eat her" he offered sincerely.

"I…I had never said you would" the white one murmured ashamedly.

"But you were thinking of it" Zorn told him, his tone showing nothing but calm awareness. "Don't worry so, Ghost. I'll bring your Stella back to you as safe as can be"

The younger bat seemed to quarrel with something inside of him before speaking again. "She might be dead already"

Zorn said nothing for a moment, thinking on his sibling's words. Had he suspected the same thing as himself, or was the pink skinned Vampyrum just voicing the panic he felt, coming up with scenarios in his head at random? The chances that Plague had killed her seemed undeniable, and yet…

And yet the body was not here…

"I'm going to look for Plague" he announced, giving no reason for his decision. "You look for the Brightwing"

With a few wingbeats he left Ghost's side. The smaller bat did not call out to him nor follow after, for which Zorn was glad. He didn't want to mention Plague's possible involvement unless it was actually present. There was no need to say things prematurely- first he would find Plague and see if what he suspected was true. Depending on the answers he got Zorn would either make sure Ghost forgot all about this bad dream of an adventure, or bring his little world that seemed to now revolve around Stella Brightwing to a grinding halt.

How Ghost had gotten so attached to the northerner in such a short amount of time seemed baffling at first, but judging from the relationship between the white Vampyrum and the rest of his kind, it was more than probable. After leaving the jungle for reasons such as his, latching onto something that made Ghost feel safe and strong was a natural response. Now the female was gone, suddenly and with dark implications in her disappearance. Of course Ghost would panic.

Zorn twisted through an array of branches, sniffing the air for some trace of Plague's scent. If he had been nearby so recently, he should be able to track him down. How odd, the bat thought for a straying moment. Tracking my own brother as though he were a bird or beast. Not even when looking for Ghost did I find him like this. Then he found his concentration again, honing his thoughts on why he was doing this.

She might already be dead…that's what Ghost said, but…she may not be, Zorn calculated. Ghost is panicked and fearful. Desperate. But there is no confirmation. We don't know where she is or if she is still in one piece…supposing Plague is out to cause harm to Ghost, would this qualify? Hiding away his oddly precious companion to throw him into a state of unease? Certainly the mental effects have reached that goal…

He barreled to the side to avoid another tangle of branches, beating his wings harder and breathing in the air deep enough to make his noise tingle. He would find Plague. He would sort him out- he would sort _both_ of his brothers out and make sure they returned home like their father wanted. It was for the best. Things needed to be set right- this twisted fear of his own kind Ghost had developed, the relations between all of them, Plague's intentions, and most of all, Bane needed to be appeased. Assuming Ghost's lost companion was found alive and well, he could do with her what he liked.

Although Zorn felt a powerful obligation to meet the demands of their sire, he had no wish to take away any happiness his youngest brother might be able to attain, even if it was just a needy illusion.

* * *

Well! Chapter update! It's short, but hey…not the shortest of the bunch. Can't write too much- don't want to be dipping into upcoming chapter material, after all! Next chapter is going to be a bit longer, I'm sure. There's more conversation involved, you see. Lots of stuff to try and explain with it.

So, this chapter was another Zorn pov. It was fun, just like last time. I look forward to more, though I'm not sure how many more there are going to be.

Next chapter, Stella and Plague talk about Ghost.


	11. Ghost

Chapter Eleven

**Ghost**

"Why do you keep _staring_ at me?!"

After what had felt like hours of listening to her captor gnaw away at the carcass of some poor, dead bat, the Vampyrum Spectrum finally tossed aside the remains and roosted a few wingbeats away from her. He cast his dark eyes over her almost unblinkingly, and after growing sick of the unending observation, Stella found herself trembling with annoyance rather than fear.

"Why?" the cannibal echoed, giving his head a small tilt. "To watch the rise an fall of your chest, of course. To see your ears twitch and bend at the noise of my hunger being sated, and your eyes widen every time I make a move. I like seeing your expressions when I come and go- I like the sound your heart makes as I speak to you. I like everything about you, little northerner"

The Brightwing clenched her teeth together tightly. "_I hate you_" she hissed, jerking her head to the side to hide how her face crumpled.

A low hum of laughter echoed through the cave, filling Stella's ears intrusively. She pinned them to her skull as tightly as she could manage, wishing the male would disappear. Her wish would not be granted, and beyond her folded ears Stella could hear his jagged wings cut through the air. He settled beside her pinned figure, bringing with him the smell of blood and death.

No! The Brightwing pleaded silently. Go _away!_

A claw hooked under her jaw and Stella felt her head snap straight, her snout suddenly inches from the leave-like nose of her captor. Letting out a fearful squeak, she tried to curl against herself despite the rocks holding her wings down flat.

"Why do you hate me?"

She froze, surprised. The curious tone in the cannibal's voice was unexpected, but the obvious answer to his inquiry had Stella bearing her teeth at him.

"_Because you're evil!_" she shrilled, anger dashing away her earlier fears. "You killed my brother! You eat bats! You're a _monster!_"

Her string of cries made the southerner smile.

"Isn't it strange?" he wondered, observing the span of his wing as if it weren't his own. "Those reasons you give for hating me…they are the very things that Ghost and I have in common"

"Wha…" for a short moment, Stella was stricken. Then she shook her head, ridding her mind of his words. "Ghost isn't like you!"

The Vampyrum Spectrum scoffed at her denial. "You know nothing about him. You know nothing of who he is or what he has done…what makes you think your perception of him is correct?"

"It _is!_" the female spat stubbornly. "Ghost is kind and brave, and wouldn't even think of doing the things you do!"

"Ghost is _pathetic_" the other bat growled. "Do you know what goes through his head, female? No! I'll tell you. I'll enlighten you about my despicable little half-brother!"

Stella gasped as he slammed his wing into the rocks atop her, sending them flying. They clamored loudly against the cave floor, and before she could even think of taking flight the Vampyrum had her wrapped in a leathery cage, squeezing her tight against his body. Escape was impossible. With her ear thrust against his chest, the Brightwing had no choice but to listen.

"He's killed bats before, make no mistake! Certainly, this was all done in self-defense- a few arrogant youths looking to take out Bane's youngest, not seeing why such a misfit should be allowed to live- but surely Ghost felt some enjoyment in killing them!"

Stella cringed as the cannibal's voice invaded her head, filling her ears to the brim with vehement notions.

"To get rid of those who are cruel to you…wouldn't that make _you_ happy?" he whispered. "When those bats had their life torn away from them…Ghost must have felt good. Powerful. A fleeting moment of triumph in a place where he was the failure…!"

Unable to listen anymore, Stella jerked her head back before plunging her tiny set of teeth into the other bat's fur. She was sure she felt them puncture his skin, but her captor didn't even flinch at her attempt to hurt him.

"We were all surprised that he worked up the guts to leave home like he did" the male drawled on. "But from the sound Zorn's little story, it seems to me that he was just running away instead of looking for someplace better. Nothing impressive about that, is there?"

The Brightwing felt the wing wrapped around her jerk a little, as though he were prompting her to give a reply. She kept her mouth shut tight, and after a moment of listening to the unsynchronized heartbeats of the cannibal and herself, Stella's captor continued on.

"Being as pathetic as he is, I'm starting to understand why Ghost would let himself be in your company. You're a female, for one. On top of that you're tiny and frail. It's natural for him to feel dominant over you. With dominance comes confidence-"

"Ghost doesn't think like that!" Stella cut in, and then immediately felt disappointed in herself for giving a response.

"You disagree?" the dark furred bat inquired, a faint rasp to his voice that made the female quiver. "Well, you're welcome to your opinion. Just remember that there isn't anything stopping me from killing you"

"Yes there is!" the Brightwing blurted, the ache of a displaced bone in her left wing keeping her from trying to thrash at him. "Ghost is coming to save me, for sure! And if you kill me, he'll make you regret it!"

Suddenly the wing holding her in place unfurled and Stella found herself tumbling head over tail like a clumsy newborn. Rolling onto her injured wing, she hissed in pain, trying to steady herself with her forearms. A shadow fell across her teetering form and the female froze, terrified.

The Vampyrum Spectrum had lifted himself to his full height, and with the great crest of fur atop his head, he was unfathomably large. Wings outstretched, the jagged sheets of flesh and bone spanned over three feet, swallowing the light in Stella's pearly black eyes.

"Of course he would!" the towering figure growled. "He'd kill me over it! His own brother! Do you know _why?_"

Struggling against the fear wringing her neck, Stella gave her head a shake.

Looking dark and demonic amongst the endless shadows that the cave provided, the predator lowered his head to meet her gaze.

"Because I'm a _monster_," he rasped. "And so is Ghost"

And then without warning he lunged at her. Stella flung herself backwards, her heart beating so fast she was sure it would burst. She pounded her wings hard, her mind spinning in all directions as she blindly took flight. Her head slammed into something hard, and as the female thudded softly on the cave floor, she felt a peculiar wetness seeping through the fur near the back of her ear.

Things went black, and from the misty depths of sound, Stella could hear her attacker laughing insatiably. He'd scared her into her own defeat. Fleetingly, the Brightwing felt relieved in knowing that his threats had all been a ploy in tricking her.

Then the last sentence the Vampyrum had spoken replayed in the female's throbbing head, bringing back the fear that had driven it into a rock moments earlier.

_Because I'm a monster…_

_And so is Ghost…_

The promising words haunted Stella like a nightmare as she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Omg wow! Chapter eleven! It sure took me a while, didn't it?! I've been on such an awesome updating spree lately, so I thought to myself, it would be such a shame if I ended up updating every story except Whitewing! So I sat down after arriving home for the weekend, and just let my fingers move.

By now you all realize Plague is a sadist who loves to terrorize others. But what you _don't_ know is he doesn't need to lie to be successful with this. Now you all just remember this chapter really well. It's important for the sequel.

That's about all I have to say! I hope you all enjoyed the update! Next chapter is titled…to everyone's assumed thrill and delight…_Shade Silverwing_.


	12. Shade Silverwing

Chapter Twelve

_**Shade Silverwing  
**_

The trees around him were smears of silver in his echovision as Ghost sped through the forest, his wings beating faster with every passing second. He had to find Stella. He had to make sure she was okay, and if she wasn't then he had to make sure that whoever caused her harm was killed in turn.

Minutes earlier, the white Vampyrum had been wondering what caused him to become so attached to the female. He did not care for his family like he cared for her. He had never cared for _anyone_ in such a manner until meeting Stella. There was no particular moment between them which might have invited this fondness into his heart. Logically, there was no reason to want to keep her by his side as desperately as he did.

The more he thought about it, the less sense it all seemed to make. Simply allowing what feelings he had for the Brightwing to remain within him seemed to be all Ghost could do other then keep flying, and even that option seemed to be fading away. The Vampyrum's muscles were starting to burn, and desperation could only drive him so far before he gave out.

Stella! _Stella!_

Over and over, the female's name coursed through Ghost as though it were blood through his veins.

In a dream the Brightwing appeared before him amongst the blurred trees, her luminous fur calling out to him like the stars calling the moon. Ghost's heart leapt, his wingbeats slowing to keep from passing her by.

"Stella!" he cried.

The smaller bat looked towards him, and Ghost awoke from the dream. His red eyes widened at the bright bands of fur splashing across their silver body, the face of a stranger staring back at him.

Not Stella. Who were they? Another Brightwing? They did not look like Stella, but…but maybe they knew her. Maybe they could help him.

Just as that foolish thought entered his mind, the northerner started to put distance between them. Panicking, Ghost chased after the unevenly colored figure, the ache in his wings feeling ten times worse with disappointment weighing them down.

"Wait!" Ghost shouted. "Please, I beg of you! Wait!"

The littler bat did not wait. If anything their pace seemed to increase, the sound of the Vampyrum Spectrum's voice no doubt frightening them despite the pleas it carried. Even if they were frightened, how could they just run away? Was this forest really so full of _cowards?_

Undeniable at last, Ghost felt cold anger settle in his chest.

The hunter scraped his teeth together, a predatory growl rising from within his throat. "I said _WAIT!_"

His voice finally reached their ears, causing the other night-flyer to freeze for a fraction of a second. It was more than enough time.

Jagged wings flaring, the white furred bat felt victory pound inside his chest as he closed in on his target. They _were _going to help him, even if he had to catch them between his teeth to make sure of it!

_Stop!_

Just as Ghost found himself close enough to see the look of fear in the smaller bat's eyes, something seemed to slam into him. It was invisible, formless, and yet it hit him as though it were a solid being. The Vampyrum whirled through the air, trying frantically to steady himself.

In his flickering echo vision he saw the bat he had been pursuing escape through the trees and gave a silent cry of anguish. Come back! Help me!

_Help you?!_

_Not if I have anything to say about it!_

Pinning his ears down tightly, Ghost then came to realize that it was not a physical force that had struck him, but the unfamiliar voice penetrating his skull. It sung through his mind with such impossible clarity that it was dizzying.

"Where…" Ghost tossed his head from one side to the other, searching for the speaker while trying to ignore how off-kilter everything felt. "Where are you?"

_Where…?_

The stranger's voice seemed to fade in and out of his head like the chime of a bell, each sentence short and riveting.

_Just who are you talking to?_

_Me?_

"Of course you're the one I'm talking to!" Ghost was as exasperated as he was disoriented.

_You can hear my voice._

_This is a first._

Their words had a curious, disturbing ring to them.

"Enough!" the youth snapped. "Just tell me where you are!"

Wind flowed through the trees, and for a moment Ghost could have sworn he heard laughter amidst the rustling leaves.

_I'm here!_

The white furred bat opened his blood-splashed eyes as wide as they could go as he scanned the surrounding area for some trace of the voice's owner.

_Here, Vampyrum Spectrum! _

_I'm right here!_

And with a chocking gasp, Ghost finally understood the meaning of their words. The reason why he couldn't follow the sound of their voice was because he wasn't supposed to. There was nothing to follow, for the chimes did not flow into him, but _within_ him. The speaker was _right here_.

Right inside of his head.

In a calm sort of panic, the Vampyrum Spectrum roosted himself on the nearest tree branch to think about his realization. Normally, the only voice to be heard inside of his head was his own. This voice sounded nothing like himself, however, and they certainly didn't share his personality.

Hearing voices…abnormally…

"Oh…" Ghost folded a wing over his face to hide the horrified expression that played upon it. "I've gone mad…!"

_You haven't._

The Vampyrum couldn't help but scoff at what he was being told. Just how convincing were they expecting to be?

_I'm a spirit._

_You're the first bat to notice my presence since I died, though.  
_

"…To have my mind come up with a character such as this, I surely must be mocking myself" Ghost muttered, painfully aware of what an onlooker would have thought of him at that moment. He shook his head adamantly. "I don't have time to be speaking with figments of my imagination. I have to find Stella"

For a moment the voice did not reply, and Ghost thought he might have been free to continue his search for the female in peace. Just as he began to unfold his wings, however, it chimed through him.

_Stella?_

The white furred bat took to the air, doing his best to ignore the inquiring tone. If he didn't respond to them, it would at least make it seem like he hadn't lost his mind. Even if there were no words spoken, however, the sound of Stella's name humming through his body conjured up warm thoughts and feelings, and this seemed to be more than enough of a response for the unwanted conversation partner.

_A female?_

_This is a surprise…_

_Asides from Murk, I've always thought you cannibals were incapable of love._

"I am not a _cannibal!_" Ghost snarled, the sting of the insult making him break his silence. "Who are you to call me by such names?!"

_Who am I?_

A light wind made the forest shiver, and again the Vampyrum could sense it- this bat was most definitely laughing at him.

_Shade Silverwing…_

_That's who I used to be, anyways._

"I had no idea I had such an imaginative mind" Ghost mused, tilting his wings slightly to avoid an array of branches.

_The mind you had when I first entered you was most definitely that of a cannibal…but you feel different now._

_I guess I'll have to say sorry for assuming things._

"I would prefer it if you said nothing at all-" Ghost stopped himself in mid-flight as he took in what was said to him seconds earlier. "Silverwing?"

_That's right. _

_I' m from the Silverwing colony in this forest…I wouldn't keep flying in this direction if I were you, by the way._

_Griffin has probably already warned everyone- you won't be warmly welcomed._

"Griffin?"

_The bat you were trying to kill earlier._

"I wasn't trying to kill him!" the white furred bat denied. "I only wanted his help in finding Stella!"

_That's funny._

_It seemed to me that your thoughts were heading in a much bloodier direction._

_Could be wrong, though- I was only hearing everything running through your head, so there's plenty of room for misunderstandings._

Ghost scowled as a ripple ran through his fur. He had never cared for sarcasm. "If you intend to demerit my words," the Vampyrum advised sourly, "then you should be direct. The affront is childish"

_Hey, it's been a long time since I've spoken with someone._

_I'm a bit rusty, okay?_

"Your social etiquette certainly seems to be lacking" Ghost agreed bitterly.

Things were quite for a moment. The sound of his rapid wingbeats filled his ears as Ghost increased his speed yet again, changing his direction ever so slightly as he recalled what he had been told earlier. As eager as he was to find Stella, he had no desire to disturb an entire colony over it. She probably wouldn't have been happy with him if he did.

…_I have an idea._

The white figure perked his ears slightly at the sudden announcement, forgetting that such an action was unnecessary for this conversation.

_How about I help you?_

"Help me? Help find Stella, you mean?" the Vampyrum pinned his ears back disbelievingly. "I can hardly imagine how you could be helpful. You have neither eyes nor ears to search for her. You-" with a startling shock, Ghost noted that for the past several minutes he had been speaking to this Shade Silverwing as though he were an actual creature. "…You are imaginary" he finished weakly.

_I'm a spirit, and you can hear my voice._

_That's just how it is, alright?_

_You're not the soundest mind I've peeked at, but you're definitely not crazy._

Ghost glared at the scenery he was flying past, annoyed with the mixed feelings their last sentence had provided. Was that supposed to be reassuring?

"If you are what you say you are," the living bat argued, "then why can I hear you? There must be something wrong with me, even if your words are the truth"

_If you want to hear my theory, I'd say it's because you're talented in some way that other bats aren't._

_Unique._

"There are no skills that came to me easily enough to be considered talents" Ghost retorted. "I cannot deny that my appearance do make me unique, although such positive terms are rarely used"

_Your appearance…?_

_Of course- it's your appearance!_

Ghost tilted his head slightly, confused as to what the Silverwing's revelation was about. His appearance was the cause?

_I remember now._

_I remember what you had looked like when I saw you through Griffin's eyes._

_You're an albino, just like Zephyr._

"Albino?" the Vampyrum Spectrum echoed. "Zephyr?"

_A bat I met a long time ago, when I was still a newborn. _

_He was like you- colorless._

A bat like himself…? Ghost felt something worm its way into his chest, making the heart within beat in a fashion that was even more uncomfortable then before. Did the knowledge of such an existence comfort him, or concern him?

_Listen._

Ghost flicked his ears in irritation, his contemplation over the odd sensations beneath his ribcage put on hold as Shade's voice burst into his mind again. It wasn't as though he could choose to ignore him- why bother telling anyone to listen?

_When one sense weakens, others become stronger to compensate._

_Because your eyesight is poor, your ears are sharper._

_You can hear things that most bats can't- like my voice._

The Vampyrum narrowed his vision as if to test himself. The scenery past by quickly, blurred and shivering. It was true that he could not see as well as the other bats he was acquainted with. But could he hear better than them? Such a question had never been prompted.

"Why haven't I experienced such a phenomenon before?" Ghost wondered aloud. As the white furred bat had expected, his unwanted company took this as a question directed at them and answered.

_Maybe the others don't try to talk to the living as often as I do._

_I've always been really curious about things- it got me into a lot of trouble when I was alive, actually._

Ghost sighed, giving his head a small wag in the process. He wanted an explanation, not their life story.

_I heard that._

The Vampyrum Spectrum tensed unexpectedly at their warning.

_I offered to help you find your mate, so why can't you just humor me a little?_

His heart skipped a beat, and Ghost suddenly felt very hot beneath his fur. "No- you are mistaken! She is not my mate!" he corrected, unaware of how flustered he actually was at that moment. "And- and I do not_ humor_ others" the bat added, his ears going flat.

_You're doing pretty good so far._

_I think your denial is hilarious, especially considering I can hear what you're thinking._

The meat-eater ground his teeth slowly as a way to fight his embarrassment. Perhaps he had forgotten for a moment that an entity within his mind would be able to hear his thoughts. Perhaps he was not entirely accepting of what sort of feelings he had for Stella. Perhaps this would be comical were it not causing him to feel as though he might spontaneously combust at any given second.

But Stella was most definitely not his mate. This was truth.

_Not yet, right?_

Ghost cringed at the Silverwing's teasing words, only to feel the somberness he was accustomed to overtake his thoughts. No, not yet. Not ever, if he could not find her. "Stella may be dead already" the youth declared to the open air, his body becoming chilled. "If that is the case, whether I want her or not is meaningless"

There was quietness inside of him for several seconds, until Shade's voice rang through him once again.

…_I'll go and look for her right now._

Ghost didn't notice how his speed lessened at the sudden announcement. "Right now?" he echoed, as though the idea of ending their conversation bothered him.

_The faster the better._

_I'm still not clear on what you're doing here, but if I can help with saving someone, then that's what I'm going to do._

_You should rest while I go search._

The Vampyrum squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to ignore the desire to do just that, his wings laden with the pain of going beyond his limits. He had been flying almost non-stop since parting with Zorn.

"I cannot rest" he forced himself to say. "I have to keep searching. If I had stayed by her side, Stella would not have disappeared. If something happened to her while I took time to recuperate, I would never forgive myself"

_But there could be something you'll have to save her from once you find her._

_You might be strong compared to bats like me, but exhaustion is exhaustion._

_No one could put up a fight after flying around like this._

Ghost felt his conviction waver. "But I…!"

_Just find a place to roost and wait!_

Shade's demand was like a jolt of electricity. Ghost flew in tight circles as the voice made its way through his nerves, the young Vampyrum feeling thoroughly uncertain of what to do. The skin beneath his fur began to tingle from the fading shock, his heart beating rapidly as he felt his claws sink into the wood of a tree branch.

_Relax._

Taking in several breaths of air, Ghost convinced himself that the weakening sensation in his gut was for the best.

_Now, give me a good image of Stella so I know who I'm looking for._

The white furred bat inhaled once more, holding it in as he tried to think of the female.

"_Ghost…_" it was when she said his name for the first time that she had looked the most beautiful. Her fur was amazingly bright as she gave her shell-shaped ears a thoughtful tilt. The moon reflected in her pearly eyes, the perfect instance of black and white.

_Marina is even more beautiful- but you have nice taste._

The youth finally released the air in his lungs, laughing tiredly at Shade's comment.

It was then he supposed they left, their voice cutting out quickly after speaking. Ghost's laughter faded away and he gave a small sigh. He felt unbearably weary. Under normal circumstances, he would have never worked himself to such a degree. He doubted he had felt this exhausted even after fleeing from his home in the south.

Rest was necessary if he wanted to be able to fight off dangers. The obvious had been forgotten upon Stella's disappearance, like nearly everything else had. Ghost sighed once again, feeling a little disappointed in himself.

It seemed that the voice named Shade Silverwing really had parted with him. As he hung amongst the numerous leaves, not an inkling of their presence made itself known. The meat-eater closed his eyes, concentrating on the quiet air and the familiarity of his own voice inside of his mind. Time passed without notice, and soon enough Ghost was surprised to realize that a whole hour had passed.

Concerned and still alone, the Vampyrum flicked his eyes open. An unsettling thought had entered his head through the silence.

Was he really going to come back?

A light breeze passed him by, making the bat anxious as he recalled the laughter he had sensed with Shade's presence. He did not sense any laughter now, even as the leaves danced around his motionless figure.

"Shade…?"

To his surprise, he was hoping for an answer.

Despite how happy he had been to rid himself of the Silverwing spirit, the youth was now starting to admit he would dislike it more if they decided to never return. Was clinging to whomever he met in these woods meant to become a habit of his?

_I've found her._

Ghost felt a surge of happiness as he was broken from his revere with the sound of Shade's voice. The Vampyrum sighed in relief, but he was quick to draw the breath of air back to him as the Silverwing continued to chime his message.

_Pain was flowing from the back of her head, and she's not conscious._

_I don't think she's safe._

* * *

Shade was one of the best protagonists ever. I'm sure most of you Silverwing fans can agree with that! I wasn't entirly sure how he would act after being dead for a little while, and it was a little difficult to write him without having a body to associate him with, but I hope I did him justice as a metaphysical side-character.

Its sure been a while since I last updated, huh? Sorry about that! Been busy with school and all that jazz. I'm glad I finally got this chapter out for you all though! Lately I've been thinking a lot about the sequel I've been planning and I'm really excited for when I can start writing it.

Next chapter, Stella makes a promise.


	13. Promise

Chapter Thirteen

_**Promise**_

"Why do you hate him?"

The question was sudden- just as sudden as the revelation that she was speaking to someone or that she was even alive. Like a reflex, Stella bared her teeth at the figure looming over her. "_Because he's evil!" _she shrieked, angry he would even ask something so obvious. "He killed my brother! He eats bats! He's a _monster!_"

The white furred bat smiled, his blood splashed eyes twinkling wickedly. It was then the Brightwing felt that something was out of place.

"Isn't it strange?" the male unfurled a wing, his gaze drifting over the translucent sheet of skin in a detached manner. "Those reasons you give for hating him…they are the very things that my brother and I have in common"

"Wha…" shocked for a mere moment, Stella quickly found herself shaking her head. "You're not like him!" the northerner denied.

The pale one scoffed at her words. "You know nothing about me. You know nothing of who I am or what I have done…what makes you think your perception of me is correct?"

"It _is!_" Stella pressed, feeling desperate. "You're kind and brave, and wouldn't even think of doing the things he has!"

"I am _pathetic_" he snarled. "Do you know what goes through my head, female? No! I'll tell you. I'll enlighten you about Ghost of the Vampyrum Spectrum!"

Stella gasped, not because of how the rocks atop her were suddenly crashing down on the cave floor or because of how painfully the male's colorless wing crushed her against him, but because she had finally realized what was wrong.

This was _Ghost_. This was Ghost and everything occurring in this moment was nothing but an echo of previous events. But the picture this echo made was distorted- the one holding her captive was not Ghost, but a different bat. A Vampyrum Spectrum who was everything Ghost has said they were and more. A cannibal. It was that monster who had been terrorizing her like this- not Ghost!

And yet here he was, squeezing her tight with a leathery sheet of veins. Stella could see the bat's face through his wing, blood boiling in his eyes as he continued to recite a flawed script.

"I've killed bats before, make no mistake! Certainly, this was all done in self-defense- a few arrogant youths looking to take out Bane's youngest, not seeing why such a misfit should be allowed to live- but I did feel some enjoyment in killing them!"

Tears flooded the Brightwing's eyes. Having those cruel lines spoken to her with the other bat had been horrid, but hearing Ghost say such things was too much. Stella's willpower crumpled like a dead leaf and she started crying.

Despite the female's refusal to act out her role, the scene went on accordingly. The Vampyrum spoke to her with his raucous voice scraping at her ears, telling his own version of what Stella had already been forced to hear. Getting rid of the ones who were cruel made him happy. Running away from home wasn't impressive. He was pathetic, so it was understandable that he accompany her. She was a frail, tiny female whom he was dominant over.

"Just remember that there isn't anything stopping him from killing you" Ghost said right on cue.

Stella let out another unresponsive cry. She wanted to yell at him and say that he was lying. She wanted tell him that he was wrong- that he _had_ to be wrong, because wasn't _he_ the one who would stop the other Vampyrum from killing her? Wasn't he coming to save her?

But even if she could have said all of that between the sobs and breaths of air, the Brightwing wasn't sure if she believed it anymore.

Her release felt abrupt, although she should have been expecting it. Stella stumbled away from the Vampyrum as the wing trapping her unfurled itself, the female rolling onto her injured wing just as she had done before. It was different, though. The pain that had sung through her at that time felt distant now, for it was only a memory.

The Brightwing looked towards the meat-eater, and suddenly her body was unable to move. Ghost raised himself up, looking much larger to her than she remembered from her view on the cave floor. The bat's jagged wings were almost like a part of the cave itself, for the menacing stone teeth that pointed down at them from above were clearly visible through the translucent sheets of skin.

For the first time, Stella felt truly scared of him.

"Of course I would!" the Brightwing's companion snapped quickly, his words making little sense in the midst of their one-sided play. "I'd kill him over it! My own brother!"

Her pearly eyes widened with dread. "No…"

"Do you know _why?_"

"No!" Stella pinned her ears down, fearing the lines that would come next. "You're _not…!_"

She looked at him as he lowered his head, and a red eyed demon looked back at her. "Because I'm a _monster_" the demon whispered. "Just like him"

Less than a second later his jaws were closing over her head. Down the teeth went, piercing through fur and flesh and into-

Her skull collided with the ground as Stella threw her head back to scream.

The Brightwing's cry of agony was cut short upon noticing the very real pain spreading out from behind her ears. Blinking rapidly, Stella waited until the stars disappeared from her vision before continuing the scream where she had left off, trying to get rid of the terror that had built up inside of her. The shriek echoed through the cave a million times over, leaving her breathless even after the echoes faded to nothing.

Stella inhaled slowly, contemplating another outburst as her wounded head throbbed. The female held the air in her lungs carefully before releasing it in the form of a quiet sigh. She had been dreaming. It hadn't been real- it was all just a dream. Only a dream.

Only a nightmare.

The northerner repeated this inhale-and-exhale process until her breathing settled at a normal pace. The chill of sweat on her skin had faded, and her heart wasn't beating as fast as before, which made the throbbing of her injury much more bearable.

Blinking, Stella noticed that her face was damp and her eyes hot from crying. Eager to wipe away her tears she tried to lift a wingtip to her face, only to find that there was something keeping it in place. Annoyed, she gave her wing a harder tug, only to feel a sharp sting race through her bones.

Squinting through the pain, the Brightwing twisted her head to the left, her black eyes looking towards the injured wing. This time it was panic that raced through her, for atop her wing was the tip of someone else's. It was large and strong, pinning her easily. She let her gaze follow along its jagged edges, a knowing sense of fear filling her as the disturbing length of wing lead her to a muscled shoulder covered in short, dark fur. From that shoulder her eyes were pulled across a massive chest and to the tip of a leaf-like nose.

She did not know _who_ she was looking at, but from their beast-like mouth and the bristly crest of fur atop their head, Stella knew exactly _what_ she was looking at. It was a bat that hailed from the far south- a cannibal bat with the frightening wingspan of three feet and razor-sharp claws used for nothing but killing.

"_Vampyrum Spectrum_" she hissed, her pearly eyes wide and burning from the tears she had not been able to wipe away.

If Stella had been in a calm enough state to make a note of the larger bat's demeanor she would have seen that he was ridged, having been startled by her very abrupt and loud awakening. After a minute of silent staring he began inching closer to the pinned female, apparently choosing to ignore the disgusted tone that she had identified him with.

The unfamiliar male slid the wingtip holding her down up to her shoulder in one quick motion, pressing down on the Brightwing's figure when she twitched. "Don't move"

Oh, no. She wouldn't move. She _couldn't_ move. Fear had paralyzed her, and it took all of Stella's effort to remember to breathe when the cannibal's snout brushed along her forearm.

Gonna bite my wing off. Gonna bite my wing off. Gonna bite my wing off. Gonna-

Her panicked mental chanting came to a halt when his jaws parted slightly, aligning her forearm with the opening between his teeth. He was seriously, seriously, _going to bite her wing off_.

"This is going to hurt" the Vampyrum informed her- _like she needed to be told that_- before taking hold of her with his incisors.

Without giving her time to react he jerked his head sharply to one side, his teeth scraping dangerously at Stella's skin as her wing was pulled straight. There was a dull cracking sound similar to when trying to move stiff joints, and the Brightwing cried out in both pain and alarm when the dislocated bone in her wing popped back into place.

The giant bat released his hold, withdrawing from the female quicker than he had approached. After peering down at her for a few seconds he nodded to himself- almost like he was giving approval for something. "Well?" he prompt. "Try moving"

"Wh…?" Stella tried to question his instruction, though her jaw was still clenched tight. First it was 'don't move', now 'try moving'...

Much to her surprise, the wing that the cannibal had closed his teeth over seconds ago was still completely intact. Asides from a soreness that was already beginning to fade, it felt just the same as her other wing-

Her_ other wing?_

Ever so abruptly, the Brightwing remembered that she had not one but _two_ wings. Jerking herself forward, Stella used the one that was free of pain to slap the male before her across the face.

The growl that sounded from him made the female realize that this had been a bad idea.

Stella gasped frightfully as the Vampyrum snapped his teeth at her. Instinctively she curled away from him, pulling her wings close before extending them outwards again, beating at the air. The natural means of flight she possessed worked perfectly, her brightly furred body lifting from the cave floor easily now that the bone in her wing had been relocated.

The cannibal must have been expecting this kind of reaction all along. He took to the air in a blur of jagged wings and dark fur, and before Stella could even cry out he had taken hold of her.

"Are you Stella Brightwing?" she heard him ask from beyond the vice-like grip of his claws.

The blood that hammered in her hears prevented any sort of proper thought process to take place. "A…and if I was?" the smaller bat demanded.

The large, dark furred male let out a low chuckle of sorts. "Believe me- you _do_ want to be her" he insisted, his husky voice somehow reminding her of Ghost. "I told my little brother I would bring her back to him safely. If you're someone else…" his hold tightened. "Well, there's no reason for me to keep you around"

Swallowing, Stella told him her name. He released her, and with all her sense lost the female darted away from him again, the fur on her body brushing against stone as she reached the other side of the cave. The meat-eater stayed where he was, his powerful wings beating through the air rhythmically as he eyed her. "I promised I wouldn't eat you"

The calming words echoed into her ears, drawing her nearer unconsciously, but the female caught herself. "Does that mean you would have eaten me otherwise?" she snapped, knowing it wasn't the time or place to be angry but unable to contain it.

"I might have" he answered, sounding completely honest. "But I'm not very hungry right now. I have more important things to do, as it were"

It was strange, but there was no humor or cruelness in his voice. Just factuality. This bat…seemed different from the other Vampyrum Spectrum that had been holding her here. He was almost more similar to Ghost, if she had to compare…

No, that's not right! The Brightwing smothered her thoughts. He's a _monster_, just like the other one! He's nothing like Ghost. Nodding to herself, Stella inched back against the cave wall as far as she could go.

"If you refuse to come obediently, I will catch you again and take you along like that" the Vampyrum warned her, his tone holding a bit of temper in it this time. "I've no idea when Plague will be back. Ghost might even run into him while you waste my time here"

Stella's ears perked at the name. Pieces of what the bat had been saying to her came to mind as something clicked. "You're…Ghost's brother?" she guessed, her shell shaped ears folding slightly at the idea.

The large bat sighed, as though tired of speaking to her. "I thought I had mentioned that. Ghost is looking for you right now. I'd been keen on finding our other brother, Plague, however. I believe you're already acquainted with him"

"I don't know if you'd call us acquaintances" she huffed, her muscles relaxing without her notice. "More like captor and captive!"

"Predator and prey would be the most fitting term, actually" the male noted, making her stiffen once again. "…So Plague was behind this after all…did he say anything to you?"

"Like _what?_"

From the distance between them, Stella thought he made have shot her a glare before speaking again. "You're an annoying little female" the Vampyrum Spectrum said suddenly, making her gawp.

"Annoying!" she squeaked.

"_Quite_"

The female felt herself tremble angrily. "I'm not going! Not with a bat like you!"

"A bat like me" he echoed, sounding passively irritated. "Are you assuming I'm the same as Plague simply because of my appearance? If that's the case then you're stupid as well as annoying. Waiting around here will only get you killed-"

"Shut up!" Stella cut in, her voice shaking. "Don't you think I know that? B-but he… he killed Callisto! He killed my little brother, and when I look at you, that's all I can think about!" she pinned her ears back tightly. "So I can't! I just can't trust you!"

Letting out a soft sob, the Brightwing clung to the wall behind her. Her tears came quickly, draining the strength from her wings. The Vampyrum Spectrum was silent for some time, making Stella feel even more unsafe. What could the cannibal be thinking in the midst of her cries?

"You want Ghost to be the one to save you"

The statement surprised her for some reason. The idea that he could understand her feelings was…

Stella set that train of thought aside for the moment, blinking away the moisture in her pearly eyes. Inhaling a quiet breath of air, she allowed herself to give a small nod.

"I see" the meat-eater took a moment to dart his eyes over her frame. "Then I shall go and get him for you, provided you meet one condition"

Uncertain of the feelings that swirled inside of her chest, Stella slowly lifted her ears up. "W-what do you want me to do?" she stammered.

"Promise me that you won't die"

Stella could have laughed. She could have screamed or sworn, too, but instead the Brightwing only stared at the cannibal with an open mouth.

"I don't care about you as an _individual_," the Vampyrum continued, "but as the thing that my youngest brother has become fond of, I will put my best effort into ensuring your safety. What I want you to promise me is that you will do the same. It is paramount that you stay alive, do you understand?" from distance between them, Stella saw a bizarre sort of determination lighting up the bat's features. "Whether it's Plague that's attacking you or anyone else, you have to stay alive"

The female felt a ripple run through her fur. He was practically vowing to protect her- had it been anyone else saying these things to her, Stella would have been smiling. Had it been Ghost, she would have been absolutely enamored. In reality, though, the one speaking to her was a horrible cannibal, and he had made it perfectly clear that she was of no importance to him. For this bat, the existence known as 'Stella Brightwing' was just a thing that his brother had taken a shine to.

Her pearly black eyes filled with indignation. "I'll stay alive" she hissed. "But I'm not making it a promise with you. It's a promise to myself!"

The Vampyrum Spectrum's lip curled with distain as he turned his back on her. The Brightwing felt relieved when he made his way out of the cave and into the forest, but his parting words made Stella's blood run cold.

"Stay alive…until Ghost decides to kill you himself"

* * *

Ask and you shall receive! I present chapter thirteen of Whitewing, with a special thanks to those who reviewed chapter twelve.

I usually don't mind too much if people don't review, but chapter twelve was an important chapter for me being that I revealed a special ability of Ghost's to the audience _and_ brought canon characters into the story for the first time. I was counting on my readers to let me know how they felt about it, so the lack of feedback had me in limbo for quite a while. Did they like it? Did they hate it? I had already finished one third of chapter thirteen when posting chapter twelve, but every time I sat down to finish I got all insecure and couldn't manage it!

But reviewers **Wendy** and **Shiningheart of ThunderClan** seemed to have enjoyed it just fine, so at last my spirits were lifted! Of course, this isn't an attempt to get more reviews- I'm actually very happy with the overall review count Whitewing has. I only wished to give an explanation as to why my update had taken so long this time around (I'm an insecure ball of nervousness being gist of it lol).

Anyways. Whitewing is starting to come to a close now- I think there's only five chapters left! With this, finishing the story will be well within my ability.

In regards to chapter thirteen, it probably seems like I have a sadistic fondness of torturing Stella, but I assure you it serves a purpose. The beginning of this chapter was of course a dream, with Ghost taking Plague's place in the conversation Stella had before losing consciousness. I really wanted to drive home the idea that Stella doesn't see Ghost for what he really is, and that she's afraid of what she'll see should she do so.

But the most important point in this chapter is the meeting of Zorn and Stella. Zorn doesn't like Stella very much as far as first impressions go, but he is willing to set aside his distain if it means helping Ghost. Stella on the other hand will do no such thing, regardless of how Ghost is involved in the matter. The dynamics of their relationship will be further explored in the sequel, but for now I think I did a good job of laying it out.

This is my longest Whitewing chapter to date, so I hope everyone enjoyed it- maybe enough to forgive the absurdly long wait. I know it's annoying, but look at it this way- I've taken longer then this to update a story. Luckily, I don't think there'll be anything to cause a year-long writer's block with this one.

Next chapter, there is a confrontation between brothers.


	14. Brothers

Chapter Fourteen

**Brothers**

Air rushed around him from all sides, determined to hold him still. The forest had warped into a barrage of motion, the trees blurry shadows and their leaves indistinguishable streaks passing him by. He beat his wings harder and harder, but no progress was made. Everything looked the same. It was as though everything was moving but him.

…_Slow…_

Ghost let out a noise of frustration and rammed his head against the imaginary wall that held him in place. He was flying! He had to be flying, so why wasn't he going anywhere?

…_Slow down!_

The Vampyrum continued to push forward even as Shade Silverwing's voice became clear in his mind. "Slow down?" he repeated angrily. "I'm hardly moving!"

_It's an adrenalin rush. _

_The reason why you feel like you're moving slowly is because you're actually moving too fast._

_I can't stick to you like this!_

"Then don't" Ghost told him. Although the bat's voice was calm, his thundering heart spoke of panic. "I won't slow down for you when Stella is in danger"

_Wait…_

Ghost attempted to shove the spirit's voice to the very back of his mind, teeth gritting. His wounded shoulder still hurt. His muscles were on fire and his wings felt like they had melted away a long time ago, but such a sluggish pace wouldn't do. He could still go faster. Until he reached Stella, he had to go faster.

_Wait! Stop!_

Shade's plea rang more urgently this time, making the bat's insides tingle in a way that only fear could.

_You have to STOP!_

The command burst from within, seeming like an echo of his own thoughts as the world came to a grinding halt. Trees appeared along with their leaves, rustling peacefully in the gentle breeze that passed through them. Ghost had gone completely still save the beating of his wings. As he held himself, the white bat stared at the trees ahead and felt the tingling fear from earlier become a vicious stab.

Reflected in Ghost's eyes was the distant figure of a Vampyrum Spectrum.

It was not Zorn. Ghost never thought as much, for Zorn had always claimed that he resembled his mother Aconite, and the one approaching now looked more like their father than anything. Even without that in mind, there were differences to be spotted. This bat's fur was messier, his wings more jagged. Even the way he carried himself had more of a cutting look to it.

Plague.

If there was ever a time he wished to meet with this bat, now was not it. For an instance he considered turning around and fleeing as he had done with Zorn, but Plague was already nearing, and if he didn't continue in this direction he might never reach Stella's whereabouts. With a ragged intake of air Ghost began moving forward, a small part of him wondering if he could fly past the other male without exchanging any words.

Much to his chagrin, Plague called out to him when the distance between them lessened. "Little brother! I did not expect to see you here!"

Something about the pleasantness with which he said this bothered Ghost. Didn't expect? Was Plague not meant to be searching for him along with Zorn?

"I am looking for a companion I met here in the north" Ghost explained cautiously. "I felt they might be in this direction"

It wouldn't do to say that a dead bat told him where to fly. He tilted his ears some, curious about the Silverwing spirit who had gone silent after alerting him of Plague`s presence. Was Shade still present?

"Perhaps I can be of some help, then" Plague offered, pulling Ghost from his thoughts. "What does she look like, your companion?"

He wasn't offering to be kind. Plague did not make kind offers to Ghost, nor any other bat that he could think of. Something is amiss, the younger Vampyrum thought.

When there was only a foot of air between them, it clicked. "_She?_"

"…You have the scent of a female on you" his brother said after a pause, his mouth twisting upwards. "The scent of your companion, surely?"

Not so. He had never been close enough to Stella to have her scent stick to him. They did not sleep side by side or brush against each other whilst flying. The rare moments their bodies met was with the brief touch of a wingtip.

Plague might have thought he was smiling, but Ghost only saw a sneer.

The wind picked up suddenly, diminishing the silence in the air when the leaves began to dance. As the breeze combed through their furs an array of smells filled Ghost's noise. Most of it was of the of the forest- soil and foliage and water- but there was also sweat and blood, unclean fur and fear left behind from some now-dead creature. The faintest of all was a sweet, delicate scent that made him want to wretch.

_Stella._

Her name was all Ghost thought before lunging.

Teeth gnashed together as Plague lurched backwards, leaving nothing but empty air for the younger bat to snap down on. Again he attacked, first with his claws and then his teeth once more. Plague dodged both strikes before countering with a vicious swipe of his foreclaw. A streak of red appeared across Ghost's torso, thinner lines trailing downwards as he bled. The white furred bat snarled and charged again, biting and slashing as often as he could. The cut on his chest hurt. His wounded shoulder hurt. But for his efforts, Ghost's claws finally found purchase in his opponent's body.

The sound the dark furred Vampyrum made when punctured was nothing short of disappointing. Even when Ghost pinned the bat to the nearest tree and dug into him further, Plague did not show whatever pain he was in.

"Why do you smell like her?" Ghost hissed through the saliva in his mouth. "_What did you do?_"

Instead of answering, Plague laughed. His sharp set of teeth were revealed to be stained a pale red, as though he had been drinking blood for days without a drop of water to wash it away.

Drinking the blood of bats, Ghost knew. He shook from tail to wingtip, trying desperately not to outright kill his brother. "Did you eat her?" he forced himself to ask.

Plague let out another laugh, but his smirk quickly turned into a grimace when Ghost gave his claws a flex. "…I made her cry" the cannibal bat said at last, humor lingering on his tongue. "And I made her bleed"

Ghost could feel his blood beginning to boil, and it showed through his red eyes as anger. "Then I shall make you cry and bleed as well" he rasped.

"Hah…will you?" Plague let his words out in heavy puffs of air, his face drawing nearer with every breath. "_Can_ you?"

"I can-"

_For Stella, it's for Stella so I can and I will_, Ghost thought rapidly. He had killed bats before. Killing was not a problem. The ones he fought were of no importance to him or his family, but Plague was Bane's second-born son. He was large and dark and everything else that Ghost was not. His father would not lament Ghost's death, but he would lament Plague's.

Father will kill me if I do this, Ghost imagined frightfully. He will kill me and eat me.

A moment of weakness. It was a short moment, but that was all it took for Plague to wrench himself free. Ghost felt his claws tear through the bat's skin against his will before a pair of leathery wings wrapped around him. One of Plague's foreclaws dug deep into his half-healed shoulder, drawing fresh blood and fresher pain. The other scraped at his neck. Ghost's own wings were forced to fold, and together they fell to the forest floor.

The fall itself was not a dangerous one, but with a larger body atop him Ghost's back slammed into the dirt with more than enough force to knock the wind out of him. The white furred bat opened his mouth to gasp, only to find that he could not draw in any air as long as Plague's crushing weight remained. Black and white spots began to seep into the edged of his vision, slowly engulfing it.

"Well, half-brother?" a taunt came from beyond the murky shroud of suffocation. "Am I shedding blood and tears now?"

Ghost wanted to snarl and shout back at him, but he couldn't breathe. Instead he shifted his wings backwards and_ pushed_. Plague was thrown off, leaving the smaller bat to roll blindly onto his stomach.

He had barely caught his breath before a set of claws sank into his backside. Ghost screamed in pain and alarm, both of which only worsened when he was hoisted into the air. The white Vampyrum thrashed until he was free from the other bat's grasp, tearing himself away indelicately. He could feel the blood dribbling down his back, but the severity of the injury wasn't spared a single thought.

Everything that followed seemed to happen in an instant. Ghost whirled. His claws sank into Plague's ribs, drawing him in close. He closed his eyes and plundged his teeth into the larger bat, relishing the thick metallic warmth that flooded his mouth before tearing away a heavy chunk of meat.

Just as he began to contemplate the taste, Plague's pained laughter reached his ears.

"_Yes!_" the cannibal threw his head back, bleeding profusely. "_This is how a true Vampyrum Spectrum should be!_"

The blood in his mouth grew hot and unsavory, drawing bile up into his throat. Ghost's mouth fell open, letting the stolen flesh fall to the ground. He unsheathed his claws from the other bat's side and threw himself away before the urge to vomit overcame him.

Plague continued to laugh as he struggled to maintain flight. "What's the matter, Ghost?" he asked whilst latching onto a tree branch. "Won't you finish me off?"

The way Plague addressed him was terribly unsettling. It gave off a grotesque sense of equality between them that Ghost did not like at all.

"I…" he wanted to say that they weren't equals- that they had never been equals. "I will…" they weren't alike at all. He wasn`t a cannibal. He didn't kill for _pleasure_, but…but for Stella…

Running his tongue across his teeth, Ghost swallowed the remnants of Plague's blood and drew a soundless breath. _Revenge for Stella_. With this thought in mind, the white Vampyrum Spectrum let his jagged wings flare outwards and surged forward.

He reached out to Plague with his bloodied claws and nearly succeeded in wringing his neck with them, but just as the other bat's fur was being grazed a heavy weight slammed into Ghost's side. He was instantly reminded of Shade Silverwing's mental strike on him, only this time it was entirely physical. The new attacker continued to shove him, seemingly keen on keeping him away from his prey.

"Calm _down!_" they barked, sounding strangely familiar. "Get a hold of yourself!"

The pale furred Vampyrum retorted by snapping his teeth at them. This earned him a harsh slap across the face, the force of which sent him scrambling for a tree branch to steady himself on. Stunned from the unexpected slap, he had to blink a few times before recognizing their voice.

"...Zorn…?" Ghost uttered his eldest brother's name as he collected himself, unsure of whether or not he was seeing things clearly when the said bat appeared in his vision. "W…why are you…?"

"You were supposed to be looking for the Brightwing, Ghost" Zorn reminded him sternly. "Why are you wasting your time here?"

"That's…Stella is dead…"

The older bat snorted, as though such claims were ridiculous. "She isn't _dead_, you fool- at least not yet"

Ghost's eyes grew large. "She is alive? But Plague-"

"Plague roughed her up a little, but her tiny heart still beats" Zorn interrupted plainly, casting his eyes towards the accused. "I have words to share with you" he told the dark furred bat.

The other cannibal had been very talkative earlier, but his good mood had gone sour at Zorn's arrival and he seemed intent on keeping quiet now. Plague's jaw was clenched so tightly that the muscles around his mouth were beginning to twitch, but Zorn continued to stare at him with hard, expectant eyes.

In the midst of their silence a soft pattering noise reached Ghost's ears. Looking down, the Vampyrum saw that the foliage was decorated with tiny splotches of blood. Plague was still bleeding, although the flow had lessened considerably. The little droplets that fell from his fur hit the ground as softly as rain, but Ghost knew that the plants would not be happy with this kind of nourishment.

Another drop fell wetly to the forest floor, but this time it was as clear as water. Curious of its origins, Ghost lifted his eyes only to find himself starting at Zorn's backside. Most Vampyrum Spectrum were dark by nature, but his eldest brother was even darker with damp fur. The beads of sweat trickling through his fur were very noticeable now, along with his shallow breathing and slowing wings. He is tired, the pale bat realized.

Despite how indifferent he acted, Zorn was pushing himself. The knowledge of this made the youth's chest inexplicably tight.

We hardly spoke before all of this happened, Ghost wanted to tell him. That night in the jungle, I found you eating a little bat not so unlike myself. I was horrified. I thought you a monster and ran. You knew that, and yet…

"…Zorn...why…" even as he spoke the words, Ghost didn't know what he was trying to say. "It would have been easier to just drag me home…you could have ignored my wishes…instead you…"

Zorn looked back at him with a rueful expression. "It's because we're brothers, Ghost…you, Plague and I. As the eldest, I must take care of my younger siblings..." but the repose in Zorn's voice died when his eyes shifted back to Plague. "…Starting with this one"

* * *

Ahahaaaand, here's the new chapter! I hope everyone enjoyed it despite the fact that it's been _a year since I last updated._

I'd like to offer my deepest apologies to all of my wonderful readers, and thank you so much for being as patient with me as you have. I can't even begin to tell you how horrible it is being unable to update for so long. It's not a vacation, it's a guilt-ridden hell in which I wring my mind for inspiration and come up dry every time. I truly am very sorry, and I promise that I'll do my best to make sure it doesn't happen again.

I don't have much to say about the actual update. How was the confrontation between Plague and Ghost? Was the action alright? I was kind of forcing my way through the whole chapter so I didn't feel comfortable writing any of it except for the parts where Zorn was talking since he's cool like that.

Byyyy the way. For those of you who do not have accounts here on FF, I would like to bring up the problem this site has with recognizing e-mail addresses. Since links aren't allowed in chapters or reviews (probably to prevent spamming), FF will automatically erase addresses that are entered alongside pen names or review content. So, if one wishes to leave me their e-mail, you'll have to write it in a way that keeps the site bots from recognizing it as a link- i.e. YourEmail(at)Wherever(dot)com. If you write it just like this, it will go through and I'll be able to reply to your questions and comments!

Next chapter, the fighting continues with Zorn and Plague.


End file.
